Keonjhar: In what can be termed as a scene out of a horror movie, two sisters breathed their last in a suspected case of food poisoning at Purandarpur village under Budhikapudi panchayat in Keonjhar district Tuesday night.
The deceased were identified as four-year-old Itishree and her sister, two-year-old Lipi, daughters of Tankadhar Maharana.
What is, however, worrying to note here is that in an effort to revive the girls who were senseless, family members branded Lipi with a hot iron rod. Despite her agonising screams, this superstitious process continued for some time. Police, however, said that they have no information regarding the ‘branding’.
Locals said that both sisters after consuming food Tuesday evening, suffered from incessant loose motion and vomiting. They were rushed to the Keonjhar district headquarters hospital. However, Itishree died on the way while Lipi breathed her last while undergoing treatment.
CDMO Kishore Chandra Prusty suspected the deaths occurred due to food poisoning. The bodies were sent for postmortem following which they were handed over to family members.
Patana additional tehsildar Sharan Kumar Jena, Turumunga PS IIC Dharmendra Shanti and ASI Sujata Mohanta also visited the hospital and initiated an investigation.
Two separate cases (No- 6/24 and 7/24) have been registered at the Turumunga PS. Police are now waiting for the postmortem report to ascertain the exact cause which led to the death of the siblings.
PNN