Six members of a family from Ghatal in West Midnapore district in West Bengal are battling for their lives after unknowingly consuming a meal prepared with acid instead of water.
The victims, who include two children, have been shifted to Kolkata’s SSKM Hospital, where doctors have described their condition as critical.
The incident occurred on November 23, in the Ratneshwarbati area under the Manoharpur I Gram Panchayat of Ghatal.
News agency IANS quoted officials as saying that all six individuals fell ill shortly after eating the food that had been mistakenly cooked using acid.
The alarming situation prompted immediate intervention from local authorities.
Panchanan Mandal, the health officer of the Ghatal Panchayat Samiti, reportedly rushed to the site as soon as the authorities were informed.
Police personnel and administrative officers also reached the house to conduct an initial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the poisoning.
Early findings indicated that the acid, a substance regularly kept in the house because a family member works with copper and silver, was inadvertently used in place of water.
Investigators believe a relative of Santu Sanyasi, the homeowner, accidentally poured the acid into the food preparation vessels, mistaking it for stored water.
The contaminated mixture was then used to cook rice and curry for the family.
However, officials have not ruled out the possibility of intentional harm.
Police confirmed that while the preliminary conclusion points to an accident, they are also examining whether someone may have attempted to “spike the food with acid in a bid to wipe out the entire family."
A senior officer from the West Midnapore district police told IANS, “Six members of a family fell seriously ill after consuming food. It is believed that acid was used instead of water to make the food."
“All of them, including two children, have been transferred to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata for treatment. Their condition is critical. An investigation has started," he said.
Local residents corroborated that Santu Sanyasi frequently stores acid at home due to his occupation involving metal work, making the substance a routine presence within the household.
On Sunday, a visiting relative is believed to have unknowingly taken the acid container, assuming it was filled with water, and used it while preparing the family meal.
Soon after eating, all six individuals began experiencing severe abdominal pain followed by intense vomiting.
When their condition worsened rapidly, they were rushed to the Ghatal Sub-divisional Hospital.
As their health continued to decline, doctors decided to transfer them to SSKM Hospital in Kolkata for advanced treatment.
Police said the investigation is ongoing to determine whether the incident was a tragic mistake or something more sinister.
