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Kolkata: Six members of a family including three children in Bengal's West Midnapore district were hospitalized after consuming food mistakenly cooked with acid for water.
Those affected—three children and three adults—were shifted to a hospital in Kolkata from Ghatal Hospital where they were initially treated.
The incident occurred in the home of Ratneshwarbati resident Santu, who is a silversmith by profession.
A woman in the household accidently used the acid, commonly used for silver work, hence stored in the house, for cooking in place of water on Sunday.
The acid was stored in a container similar to the one used for keeping water, leading to confusion.
Shortly after lunch the family members began to feel uneasiness before severe symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, and difficulty breathing appeared.
They were all rushed to Ghatal Hospital with reports saying that one child was in particularly serious condition at the time of admission.
Doctors at Ghatal Hospital identified the cause and provided initial emergency treatment.
Due to the critical nature of the cases, all six patients were referred to a hospital in Kolkata for advanced care.
Following the incident, authorities asked residents in the area to store hazardous materials away from the reach of children and accidental misuse.
No statements have been issued by medical staff yet about the condition of the patients.