Three children aged between three and six years died after allegedly consuming a poisonous fruit while playing in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi district, police officials said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred in the Kardhana area, sending shockwaves through the local community and raising concerns about child safety and awareness regarding toxic plants commonly found in rural areas.
Incident during playtime
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Gomti Zone) Akash Patel said police received information on Monday about the deaths of three minors. A preliminary inquiry revealed that a group of children had been playing together on Sunday when three of them unknowingly consumed the fruit of the ‘kaner’ plant, also known as oleander, which is highly poisonous.
Soon after consuming the fruit, the health of the three children reportedly began to deteriorate.
Two deaths went unreported initially
Police officials said two of the children died on Sunday itself. Their families performed the last rites without informing the police, as the cause of death was not immediately suspected to be linked to poisoning.
The third child was admitted for treatment at Banaras Hindu University Hospital, where the child died on Monday. The hospital subsequently informed the police, bringing the incident to official notice.
Following the alert, police teams rushed to Kardhana village and initiated an inquiry to ascertain the sequence of events.
No foul play suspected
The DCP said the other children who were playing with the victims did not consume the fruit and remain healthy. As a precautionary measure, medical examinations of those children have been conducted.
“There is no complaint or indication of foul play from the families. The incident appears to have occurred due to the children unknowingly consuming a poisonous fruit while playing,” Patel said.
Oleander plants are commonly grown for ornamental purposes but are known to be toxic if ingested. Health experts warn that even small quantities can be fatal, particularly for children.
Call for awareness
The tragic incident has prompted local authorities to urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant about their surroundings and educate children about avoiding unknown plants and fruits. Officials have also advised village communities to identify and fence off poisonous plants in areas frequented by children.
Police said further preventive awareness measures would be discussed with local administrations to avoid similar tragedies in the future.