THRISSUR: In a shocking twist in the death of an eight-year-old girl at Thiruvilwamala in April, the forensic analysis report ruled out suspicions of mobile phone blast as the cause of death, and said chemicals used in firecrackers may be behind the fatal accident.
Scientific examination of samples from the explosion that killed Adithyasree revealed traces of chemicals used in firecrackers.
It is suspected that the girl got a country-made firecracker (pannipadakkam)-- widely used in hilly areas like Thiruvilwamala to drive away wild animals -- and she might have carried it with her to the bed, which led to the accident.
Kunnamkulam ACP C R Santhosh said only a further investigation can reveal what actually exploded, leading to the death of the girl. “The forensic report clearly says that the phone doesn’t have any issues and it didn’t burst. If the family of the deceased girl cooperates, the investigation can be proceeded further,” he said.
All angles will be probed, say police
“Prima facie, there is no mystery regarding her death. However, all angles will be probed,” Santhosh added. Adithyasree, daughter of Ashok Kumar and Soumya, died after being seriously injured in an explosion on April 24. Only Adithyasree and her grandmother were present in the house when the incident took place. Initially, it was suspected that the girl was playing video game on the mobile phone while lying on the bed, after covering herself with a bedsheet.
The grandmother heard the sound of a blast and she saw Adithyasree lying in a pool of blood, with a severely burnt face. As part of investigation, the forensic team collected the mobile phone, its charger, the samples of bedsheet and bed and sent them for scientific examination. After the postmortem examination, the samples collected from her body were also sent for examination at the Thiruvananthapuram Forensic laboratory. The forensic analysis report, which came after nearly six months, indicated the presence of chemicals used in firecrackers in the samples.
After the postmortem, forensic surgeon Dr Unmesh had also expressed his doubts as he couldn’t find any remains of mobile phone parts in the girl’s body, while the kind of injury resembled that of bursting of explosives.