Five mystery deaths in a family in 5 days

Blood clots were noticed on the nasal passage and mouth of the deceased. The autopsy report is still inconclusive.

ANIL SHARMA, Doctor at Motihari Sadar hospital

BETTIAH: Mysterious death of five members of a family in five days at a village in Bihar’s East Champaran, including of two children on Saturday, has sent district officials into a tizzy and triggered anger and panic among locals.

According to officials, the deaths occurred in a family at Sirsa village under Mufassil police station. Of the five deceased, four are children. They were identified as Ravindra Prasad (40), Deventi Kumari (12), Anshu Kumar (10), Kallu Kumar (6) and Priyanshu Kumar (5).

On Saturday, agitated villagers blocked Motihari-Pakaridayal road for hours in protest.

“Before these two children, two other children and an adult member of my family suffered similar complications, including pain in stomach, and died before they could be taken to the hospital,” said Sarita Devi, aunt of the deceased children.

Dr Sharvan Paswan, in charge of public health centre at Motihari,

while talking to reporters, confirmed four deaths in the family, two on September 1 and two on September 4, while pleading ignorance about the exact date of the fifth death. “The family members put faith on exorcists,” he said, adding that food poisoning or snake bite could have been possible reasons.

However, Dr Anil Sinha, deputy superintendent (in-charge), Sadar hospital at Motihari, said it could well be a mysterious disease. “Blood clots were noticed on the nasal passage and mouth of the deceased. The autopsy report is still inconclusive. We have preserved the viscera of the deceased for examination by forensic experts,” he said. A team of doctors has been sent to the village, officials said.