Berhampur: Gajapati district administration has launched an investigation into the deaths of two minor girls after allegedly consuming sattu in Tulasinagar village, R.Udayagiri block on Sunday.
The deceased, both cousins, were identified as Tulasi Badamundi (6) and Gunabati Badamundi (3). Tulasi is the daughter of Siba Shankar Badamundi while Gunabati is Arjuna Badamundi’s daughter. Arjuna and his other daughter, aged 12, are undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital. Their condition is said to be stable.
“We have formed an inquiry team led by additional district magistrate R K Minz to probe the incident and determine if others had been affected or not,” Gajapati district collector Bijay Chandra Das said.
Sources said the family members had got sattu from a local Anganwadi centre on March 20. After consuming it on Sunday, the girls started vomiting. They were initially taken to Ramagiri hospital.
They were discharged after primary treatment. But their condition deteriorated later on, prompting another hospital visit. Tulasi died during treatment, while Gunabati succumbed later at the district headquarters hospital in Paralakhemundi.
The inquiry team visited the village to speak to the victims’ families and has collected food samples for laboratory testing. “We will wait for a detailed inquiry and post-mortem reports before drawing any conclusion,” the collector added.