6-year-old dies after mistakenly eating explosive gelatin, 3 arrested

A six-year-old boy died near Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu after he chewed on a gelatin stick kept for fishing, mistaking the explosive for a snack.

Three people have been arrested under the Explosives Act for causing the child’s death.

The boy, who succumbed to his injuries, was identified as Vishnu Dev. He lived with his father Boopathi, in the Alagarai village near Thottiam block. His father being a daily wage worker, used to fish with his brother Gangadaran in the Cauvery river using explosives near Thottiam in Tiruchirapalli.

On Tuesday (June 9), Gangadaran, along with his friends Tamilarasan and Mohanraj, approached Selvakumar, who works in a stone quarry in the Pappapatti village. They bought three gelatin sticks for fishing in the Cauvery river.

Reportedly, they went for fishing and used two gelatin sticks, returning with the remaining one. The boy, Vishnu noticed the wrapped explosive stick and took a bite, mistaking it for a biscuit. The stick then exploded in his mouth and caused severe injuries.

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Upon hearing the noise, Boopathi and Gangadaran rushed the child to a medical facility for the treatment, but he died on the way.

Fearing grave consequences, the boy’s father and uncle conducted the final ceremony for the child on the same night, and did not inform authorities.

Following this, Gangadaran, Mohanraj, and Boopathi were arrested by the police under the Explosives Act for causing the death of the child.

Further investigation in relation to the incident is underway, while Tamilarasan, the boy’s uncle’s friend, is absconding.