Kottayam: The hospitalisation of a four-year-old boy under mysterious circumstances after allegedly consuming chocolate at school has raised serious concerns, with a urine test revealing the presence of benzodiazepines, a depressant, police said on Sunday.
The incident occurred on February 17 when the child became drowsy after returning home from school. Upon questioning, a teacher informed his mother that he had been seen eating chocolate. Shortly after, the child was admitted to a nearby hospital and later shifted to Amrita Hospital in Ernakulam, where tests detected the depressant in his system.
Authorities remain uncertain about how the substance entered the child's body or where he obtained the chocolate. No case has been registered so far, but the matter gained attention after TV channels aired the family's allegations that the boy became dizzy after consuming the chocolate.
Police launched a preliminary inquiry following an intimation from Amrita Hospital but found no evidence of negligence on the part of the private school where the child was studying. According to school authorities, the boy appeared fine when he left for home with his grandfather. Additionally, another child who consumed part of the same chocolate did not exhibit any symptoms.
The hospitalised child reportedly had extremely high blood pressure, requiring ICU care for several days. His mother, a lab technician who is separated from her husband, has filed complaints with the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police, demanding an investigation into the incident.
The police further stated that while the child initially claimed his mother had given him the chocolate, she has denied this assertion. The case remains under scrutiny as officials attempt to determine how the depressant entered the child’s system.
With PTI inputs