The death toll continues to rise in Junnardev of Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, after consuming sweets from an abandoned bag. This tragic saga confirmed a third death on Wednesday, instilling fear throughout the community. Since January 9, three lives have been claimed due to this mysterious sweets episode, with several others still hospitalized.
The Bag Contained Raw Vegetables and a Box of Sweets
This incident traces back to an area near the PHE (Public Health Engineering) Office in Junnardev, where a clean bag lay unattended next to a tea stall for a long time. The bag contained raw vegetables and a box of sweets. Late at night, PHE office watchman Dasru Yaduvanshi opened the bag and consumed the sweets. Upon reaching home, he fell ill and began vomiting. Tragically, he succumbed to his condition on January 11.
Illness Sweeps Through Those Who Ate
The following day, on January 10, Santosh, wife of tea stall owner Mukesh Kathooriya, retrieved the leftover sweets and vegetables from the same bag. She brought them home and shared them with family members, leading to multiple illnesses among them. Her father-in-law, Sundarlal Kathooriya, aged 72, passed away on January 13.
A Death Occurs in Nagpur Today
The troubling saga took a sinister turn when on January 14, Sundarlal's granddaughter, Khushbu Kathooriya, aged 24, died during treatment in Nagpur. Khushbu had also fallen ill after consuming the sweets and had been under medical care for a prolonged period. Other members of the Kathooriya family are still hospitalized, although their condition is reportedly stable.
Accusations Against In-laws
In a twist, Khushbu's sister, Shraddha, leveled serious accusations, stating that Khushbu, who had a love marriage, faced abuse from her in-laws. She had been staying at her parental home for the past one and a half to two months and had received threats. Shraddha suspects her in-laws played a role in the incident, though she acknowledged lacking concrete evidence.
Additional SP Ashish Khare's Insights
Additional SP Ashish Khare of Chhindwara confirmed the deaths and stated that police are exploring all aspects of the case. Initially, food poisoning was suspected, but the continuous deaths have prompted a wider investigation into other possibilities. The bag and sweet box bore no identification marks, complicating the investigation. Police, relying on postmortem reports and other evidence, hope to reach a logical conclusion soon.
As the community holds its breath, the relentless search for answers continues, unveiling a story pulsing with speculative intrigue and dire consequences.
