Mansa boy dies, kin allege overdose of iron tablets

Nikhila Pant Dhawan

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Tribune news Service

Bathinda/Mansa, July 13

More than a week after 13-year-old Karan Prasad fell ill after coming from school, the Mansa boy died at a private hospital in Bathinda in the wee hours today.

His parents alleged that he died of an overdose of iron tablets handed out by the school authorities. They demanded that a case be registered against the teacher who gave him medicines.

A resident of Udat Bhagatram village, Karan was a student of Class VIII at Government Middle School of the village.

His father, Mukesh, said Karan, after coming back from school on July 5, fell ill and told the family that he had consumed at least seven tablets of iron folic acid in the school. He added that all students were given the medicine by schoolteacher Balwant Singh. The family had earlier alleged that expired medicine was given to the students.

“We first took him to a doctor in the village and then to a private hospital in Mansa city and finally shifted him to a private hospital in Bathinda on Saturday. We demand that a case be registered against the teacher and the family be given monetary help by the district administration,” said the deceased’s uncle, Sanjay Kumar.

Assistant Commissioner (Grievances), Mansa, Deepak Rohilla said he had received a complaint and it had been marked to the SSP’s office.

Civil Surgeon Dr Renu Sood said the student could have fallen ill due to other reasons. “I had sent a team to the school and they checked the stock of the medicine administered to the students. The medicine had not expired. The team spoke to other students of the class and they said the teacher had given them only one tablet,” she said.

Balwant Singh said, “All students were given only one tablet. I am being framed by the family.”

Fell ill on July 5

• A resident of Udat Bhagatram village of Mansa, 13-year-old Karan Prasad fell ill after coming from Government Middle School of the village on July 5
• His father Mukesh said after coming back from the school his son told the family that he had consumed at least seven tablets of iron folic acid in the school. He added that all students were given the medicine by school teacher Balwant Singh