In a shocking incident in Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, a four-year-old boy was killed by his aunt, who works as an ASHA worker in the same anganwadi school where he used to study. She allegedly fed the boy Kurkure which was laced with rat poison.
According to reports, Velpula Jyothi, an anganwadi worker, gave Kurkure to Pinnika Dhanunjay, her nephew, in the school when no one was around.
After eating the snack, Dhanunjay vomited and collapsed. He was rushed to a government hospital in Ongole, but as the doctors said that his condition had worsened and that he required special treatment, he was taken to a private hospital in Guntur. The boy passed away on Saturday while being treated.
Suspecting foul play, the boy’s parents enquired about what happened on the day of the incident. The children told them that Jyothi had given him Kurkure before he started vomiting.
Following this, Dhanunjay’s parents filed a complaint with the Chimakurthi police.
“The boy’s father Sudhakar Yadav and Jyothi’s husband are brothers. They have had land disputes in the past,” Chimakurty SI G V Chowdary said, and added that that is why they suspect foul play in the boy’s death.
“Sudhakar’s elder son also died after become unwell, so their suspicion is strong. The samples of the boy’s vomit have been collected from the school and hospital and have been sent to a forensic laboratory for examination. For now, we have registered a case of mysterious death under CrPC section 174. Only after the report comes we can determine if it was murder,” Chowdary said.
The policeman also said that report would come after 45 days.