BERHAMPUR: A 56-year-old farm worker reportedly died due to unintentional pesticide poisoning in Gosani block of Gajapati district on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as T Lakshminarayana of Tatipati village under Gurandi police limits.
Sources said Lakshminarayana was hired by a land owner to spray pesticide on his vegetable field on Saturday. While spraying the insecticide on the crop, his face and body was exposed to the chemical due to a sudden gust of wind.
On returning home, he reportedly fell unwell and complained of dizziness. In the night, he was rushed to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) at Paralakhemundi. However, Lakshminarayana succumbed during treatment on Sunday.
On being informed, police reached the DHH and seized the body for autopsy. IIC of Gurandi police station Basant Sethy said the deceased’s body was handed over to his family after postmortem in the afternoon. An unnatural death case has been registered in connection with the incident and further investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, villagers of Tatipati have urged the administration to extend financial support to the bereaved family. They said Lakshminarayana was the sole breadwinner of the family as his wife is ailing and son a divyang.