Sudhakar (12), inmate of a children’s home who died due to an alleged ant sting on Sunday night, was an avid singer and had talent for assembling electronic items. “Initially, we couldn’t even get a police case registered and now we have strong suspicion about the boy’s death but we have no one to raise a voice for us,” said Mary, Amulu’s elder sister.
Royapuram police said the incident took place at the Don Bosco Anbu Illam on Cemetery Road, on Sunday morning when the boy was drying himself after a shower. “The ant was inside the towel which stung him on the right cheek right below the eye. He was taken to Stanley Hospital along with another boy and was soon admitted,” said an investigating officer.
Hospital authorities said Sudhakar came in with swelling in his face and was having difficulty breathing. “He seemed to have suffered an anaphylactic shock due to the sting. He was immediately admitted to the paediatric ICU where he was put on a ventilator. He was also given adrenaline for the sting and steroids for the edema,” said a senior hospital official.
“We believe it [death] was due to laryngeal edema caused by anaphylactic shock due to the insect sting. This can happen in a few cases,” she said. Doctors believe it could have been a fire ant that stung Sudhakar. Fire ants release an alkaloid venom when they bite, and this can be dangerous for some sensitive people, doctors explain.
A post-mortem examination was conducted and the body handed over to the family. Don Bosco authorities failed to comment on the matter stating that a police investigation was under way.
(With additional input from Zubeda Hamid)
