DEOGARH : A 60-year-old woman along with her three minor grandchildren were taken ill after consuming urea mistaking it for sugar in Bamparada village within Barkote police limits on Friday. Sources said Satya Behera of the village had asked his three daughters - Kuntala, Tapai and Kaikeyi - to come and help him on the farm.
On Friday morning, the three women went to the agricultural field leaving behind their children, including Kuntala’s 5-year-old son, Kaikeyi’s 15-month-old daughter and Tapai’s 13-month-old daughter, in the care of their mother Jamuna.
Back home, Kuntala’s son found a bag of urea inside the house and mistaking it for sugar, he reportedly mixed it with some flattened rice and consumed a small portion along with his siblings. As it tasted bitter, the minor boy informed about it their grandmother. Jamuna also consumed it to ascertain if there was anything wrong with the food. A few minutes later, all four fell seriously ill and started vomiting.
In the meantime, Kuntala, Tapai and Kaikeyi returned home and found out that their mother and children had consumed the fertiliser. They rushed the four to Bamparada primary health centre (PHC) for treatment from where doctors referred them to the district headquarters hospital for further treatment as their condition remained critical. They were still undergoing treatment at the DHH until reports last came in.