Kushtia kid dies eating ‘poisonous melon’

Family members fell sick after eating ‘poisonous’ watermelon in Kalua village under Kumarkhali of Kushtia on Sunday. Photo: STAR

At least one child died and 10 others fell sick after they ate “poisonous” watermelon in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia.
Smrity, 9, died around 2:30pm at the Kushtia Medical College Hospital reports our Kushtia correspondent.

Her brother Anik, 11, went into coma due to his sickness, said Dr Asaduzzaman, an assistant professor of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
They might have been infected with poisonous chemicals mixed in the watermelon, predicted Saleque Masud, senior medical officer of KMCH.
Victims’ father Ashkar Ali of village Kalua under the upazila told reporters that he purchased a watermelon from the upazila bus stand and then shared the fruit with his family and neighbours this afternoon.
“All of them began to feel digestive disorders and vomiting after they ate the pieces of the melon,” he said, adding nine has been hospitalised so far while at least 15 others fell into minor sickness.
“Details of the causes behind the deaths can be known after further report,” the doctor added.