KRISHNAGIRI: A nine-year-old kid and her 70-year-old grandmother died due to alleged food poisoning in the district on Sunday. However, health officials said that they are suspecting it to be a case of murder by poisoning.
Joint Director of Health Services Paramasivan on Monday said the department was awaiting autopsy reports.
According to Rayakottai Inspector of Police Kamalesan, the deceased are D Keerthana (09) and her grandmother G Maramma (70) of Kuttur village near Denkanikottai.
On Friday, complainant D Rajeshwari (35) cooked food (ragi balls and horse gram as side dish) and served it to three persons - her two daughters D Archana (13) and Keerthana (09), and mother-in-law Maramma (70). Rajeswari also consumed the food, police said.
On Saturday early morning, all four complained of vomiting and diarrhea. Except Maramma, all three went to Kelamangalam Primary Health Centre for treatment and returned home.
On Saturday night, the trio complained of the same issue and went to Government Hospital in Hosur. From there, Keerthana was referred to a private hospital, but she died on the way. According to police, relatives of the family buried the body without informing the police. The girl’s father who lives in Bargur also reached the village after hearing the news. Police refused to share information on who buried the girl.
Police said, Maramma died the same night and her body was sent to General Hospital in Denkanikottai for postmortem.
Rajeshwari and Archana were sent to Krishnagiri District Government Headquarters Hospital on Saturday night. While, Archana was discharged on Monday, her mother is still undergoing treatment.
During preliminary investigation, the inspector said that the complainant Rajeshwari claimed to have seen a lizard falling in the food.
Kelamangalam Block Medical Officer Rajesh Kumar said, “On Sunday, Keerthana’s body was buried without informing the police. Then on information it was exhumed and sent to Government Hospital in Denkanikottai.” The official ruled out the possibility of food poisoning and said, “Lizard in the cooked food might cause food poison, but it would not lead to death. Postmortem report will reveal more details.”