Two sisters die of food poisoning

Bhubaneswar: Two sisters died of suspected food poisoning in Gajapati district after eating a special ‘sattu’, meant for underweight babies, supplied by the local Anganwadi Centre. The incident took place at Tulasi Nagar in Ramgiri village of R Udaygiri block on Sunday. The deceased were six and three years old. While the elder sister died on way to hospital, the younger breathed her last while undergoing treatment, officials said. Another sister and their father are in critical condition at the MKCG Medical College Hospital, doctors said. The bodies of the two children were sent for post-mortem to ascertain the exact cause of the death, officials said.

“We have ordered an inquiry into the incident. Though other families in the village had also received the same special ‘sattu,’ no complaint came from them. The government has made all arrangements for proper treatment of the ill father and daughter,” District Collector Bijay Kumar Dash said.

The bag of ‘sattu’ was recovered from the house of the deceased and sent for tests, officials said. Anganwadi workers have been asked not to distribute the ‘sattu’ till the test results arrive, they said. An ASHA worker, who brought the deceased to the hospital, said they complained of stomach pain and vomited.