MULUGU: A four-year-old boy died after allegedly consuming a toxic substance mixed with pellets in Govindaraopet village of Pasara mandal on Monday.
The boy, E Ashwin Nandan, had been playing near his house when he entered a Haritha Vanam nursery maintained by the gram panchayat. He found a packet containing roasted rice flour (sattu pindi) and consumed it.
Soon after, he developed vomiting and severe abdominal pain.
He was first taken to Mulugu Government Hospital and later shifted to MGM Hospital, Warangal, where he died during treatment.
His father, E Srikanth, said doctors informed the family that the powder was mixed with poisonous pellets. He alleged that such mixtures were being used locally to feed monkeys and demanded action against those responsible for leaving the substance in the nursery.
Pasara Inspector P Dayakar said police collected samples from the spot. Preliminary inquiry indicated that Balamrutham powder, usually distributed through Anganwadi centres, had been mixed with pellets and placed in the nursery. A case has been registered and investigation is underway. The body was sent for postmortem.