TIRUCHY: In a horrific incident, a six-year-old boy was killed after he took a bite out of gelatin stick which was kept for fishing near Thottiam in Tiruchy.
Reportedly the boy mistook the explosive for snacks.
The victim was identified as Vishnu dev, he resided with his father Boopathi in Alagarai village near Thottiam block.
Being a daily wage worker, the child's father along with his elder brother Gangatharan used to fish is the Cauvery river using explosives.
On Tuesday, Gangadaran along with their friends Mohanraj and Tamilarasan approached Selvakumar who works in a stone quarry in Pappapatti village and bought three gelatin sticks for fishing in Cauvery river (Placing net in the flow area, fishes would use the explosive to scare the fishes into the net).
Later they went for fishing and used two gelatin sticks, returning back with an extra one which is when Vishnu spotted the wrapped explosive material and took a bite, mistaking it for a biscuit.
The stick exploded in his mouth and caused severe injuries.
On hearing the noise, Boopathi and Gangadaran rushed him to a medical facility for treatment, but he died on the way.
Fearing consequences, they decided to conduct the final respects on the same night itself without informing the authority.
Gangadaran, Mohanraj, Boopathi and Selvaraj were arrested under the explosive act and also causing the death of the child.
Further investigations are underway to nab Tamilarasan who has been on the run.