Mumbai girl dies brushing teeth with rat poison instead of toothpaste

IANS

Mumbai, 14 Sep 2021: In a bizarre incident, an 18-year-old girl from Dharavi dies after she brushed her teeth with rat poison, mistaking it for toothpaste, police said here on Tuesday.

 

The incident occurred in the morning of September 3 at her home when Afsana Khan got up to brush her teeth as usual.

 

Unfortunately, she unwittingly picked up a tube of rat poison cream kept beside the toothpaste tube and brushed with the killer chemical paste.

 

She belatedly realised the difference in the taste and smell and frantically attempted to wash out the deadly poison from her mouth, but she started feeling giddy in the bathroom.

 

Fearing a scolding from her family, she kept popping some medicines as she felt uneasy with severe stomach aches, but got no respite and was taken to at least three private and public hospitals without any improvement in her health condition.

 

With steadily deteriorating health, and a grilling by her mother Afsana she finally revealed to the family members of the blunder and they rushed her to Sir JJ Hospital for treatment on September 12 (Sunday).

 

However, despite all attempts to save her, Afsana breathed her last that evening, stunning her family comprising her parents, an elder sister and two younger brothers, besides the people in the locality.

 

The medical report has concluded that Afsana died due to poisoning and the Dharavi Police Station has collected sample for a forensic analysis.

 

Soon afterwards, the police recorded the statements of her family on the incident and have registered an accidental death report, while further probe is on, according to an official.

 

While Afsana dropped out of school during the lockdown, the family makes a living through a small fruit selling business.