Patna: A one-and-a-half-year-old girl died while her mother and elder brother were hospitalised after allegedly consuming poison following a family dispute in Saharsa district. The incident took place on Wednesday night in the Saur Bazaar police station area.The deceased has been identified as Dimple Kumari. Her mother, Soni Kumari (25), and four-year-old brother, Golu Kumar, are undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Saharsa. Police on Thursday sent the toddler’s body for post-mortem and launched an investigation.According to Soni’s mother, Shakuntala Devi, her son-in-law, Lalu Ram, informed her on the phone on Wednesday night that Soni had consumed poison. She alleged that Lalu frequently assaulted her daughter and suspected her of having an affair. Shakuntala further claimed her daughter had complained that her husband was involved with another woman and had often threatened to kill her and the children by poisoning them. She accused him of being responsible for the incident.However, Ram denied the allegations, claiming that his wife consumed insecticide after an argument over his decision to leave the village for work. He said Soni wanted to go to her parents’ house during Raksha Bandhan and insisted that he remain in the village instead of seeking employment elsewhere. According to him, the dispute escalated after he struck her once with a grass stick, following which she allegedly poisoned herself and both children.Lalu said he immediately rushed them to a private hospital, where the toddler was declared dead on arrival.SHO Ajay Kumar Paswan said a poisoning case has been registered and further action will be taken after recording the statements of those involved. Police are investigating all angles surrounding the incident, he added.
