ROURKELA: Four members of two families, including three children, died in separate suspected snakebite incidents in Sundargarh district over the past 48 hours.
In the first incident, a 76-year-old man and his eight-year-old grandson were found dead in their house at Kateisahi hamlet under Tileimal village, around 80 km from Rourkela.
Rabi Bhuiya and his grandson Sanjay Naik were apparently bitten by a venomous snake while sleeping on the floor of the thatched house in the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, police said.
The incident came to light on Tuesday morning when Sanjay’s sister Rajani (13) returned home and found the two unresponsive. Both were frothing from their mouths. The minor child’s eyes had ant infestation too.
The victims were rushed to Bonai hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead.
During investigation, it emerged that Sanjay and Rajani’s parents too had died of snakebites in separate incidents between 2022 and 2024.
The family, living in abject poverty, is now left with five siblings. The eldest, 25-year-old Suresh, reportedly rears goats for a living, while the youngest, Ramesh Naik, is only five.
Sources said Sanjay was not enrolled for an Aadhaar card which is why the family’s eligibility for snakebite compensation remains doubtful.
In another incident, two siblings Sairen Horo (8) and Samir Horo (11) died while undergoing treatment at Rourkela Government Hospital on Tuesday.
Chandiposh IIC Srikant Khamari said the two were sleeping with their parents at their home in Hatioda village when they complained of severe pain in the stomach region around 3 am. They were rushed to RGH, where both succumbed during treatment around 8 am.