In a terrible incident, a nine-year-old child died and at least 20 fell ill after taking watermelon at Kalua village of Koya union’s Kumarkhali upazila in Kushtia yesterday.
The child was identified as Sriti, daughter of Askar Ali of the village. The 20, seven from the same family, were admitted to Kushtia General Hospital.
Askar’s family members and neighbours ate slices of a watermelon that he had bought from Kumarkhali bus stop in the noon. Soon after taking the fruit, everyone suddenly fell ill and the locals took them to Kushtia General Hospital where Sriti died.
Sriti’s 11-year-old brother Anik, who was said to be in critical condition, was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
We suspect chemicals was injected into the watermelon and the child died of food poisoning, Senior Medical Officer of Kushtia General Hospital Dr Salek Masud said.
However, any other food could be behind the death, he added.
Our primary suspicion is that the child died of poison that was inside the watermelon, said Kushtia Civil Surgeon Dr Md Mustafizur Rahman, adding that this could only be confirmed following tests.
Police, meanwhile, have arrested watermelon seller Rezaul in this connection. Kumarkhali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shaila Akhter led the arrest operation in the afternoon and the law enforcers also seized 19 watermelons from the shop.
Officer-in-charge of Kumarkhali police station Sheikh Lutfar Rahman confirmed the incident and said Rezaul was being interrogated.
A sense of panic gripped the locals as the news of death spread.