Ludhiana: In a matter of moments, a family lost both children — a son and a daughter — days ahead of Raksha Bandhan. The brother and sister, who died of snakebite, were cremated together at Bassian village near Jagraon on Thursday.While six-year-old Jaspreet Kaur died after being bitten by a snake on Tuesday night, her brother, Jobanpreet Singh (8), breathed his last while undergoing treatment for snakebite at a hospital here on Wednesday evening.Sources said the family had been sleeping outdoors because of the heat. Jobanpreet and Jaspreet were sleeping near their grandmother, Jinder Kaur, when they were bitten.Bereaved family members said that around 3am on Wednesday, Jobanpreet told his grandmother that something had bitten him on the hand. Initially, she thought it was a mosquito bite. However, when the boy began crying loudly and developed breathing difficulties, the family noticed a bite mark on his hand. They then spotted a snake underneath the cot.Sources said the family tied Jobanpreet’s hand in an attempt to prevent the venom from spreading and rushed both children to Govt Hospital in Raikot. By then, Jaspreet had also started displaying symptoms of snakebite and fallen unconscious.At the hospital, doctors confirmed snakebite. They said Jaspreet was declared dead on arrival, while Jobanpreet, whose condition was critical, was referred to CMC Hospital. He was admitted to the paediatric ICU but could not be saved.Jaspreet was a Class I student, while Jobanpreet studied in Class III.Sarpanch Surinder Singh said the whole village was mourning the children’s deaths. He also urged the state govt to help the family, whose members work as labourers.Village resident Jagtar Singh alleged that the children did not receive proper medical attention on time. He added that villagers collected money for Jobanpreet’s treatment.Buta Singh, a neighbour of the family, said they called him around 3.20am, asking him to rush the children to hospital.He underlined the need for snakebite treatment at govt health institutions at the village level.
