A devastating incident has claimed the lives of two young siblings in the Kotli area of Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh. The children, aged nine and six, died after being bitten by a snake while they slept in their home in Sehli village.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the deceased siblings have been identified as Kavya, aged nine, and Naksh, aged six. They were the children of Mahender Kumar and Jaywanti, residents of Sehli village. The family was reportedly asleep in their home when the tragedy unfolded late on Friday night.
According to family accounts, the children were sleeping on a bed while their parents slept on the floor in the same room. Around 2:30 AM, Kavya began to cry, complaining of severe stomach pain. Shortly thereafter, Naksh also started experiencing similar symptoms. Initially, the parents believed the children were suffering from indigestion and attempted to provide relief with a hot-water bag.
However, the condition of both children deteriorated rapidly. Within approximately thirty minutes, both began vomiting and were in significant distress. It was at this critical juncture that the family noticed a large black snake in their room, near the door. The presence of the snake alerted them to the possibility of snakebites.
The family immediately removed the snake from the room and rushed the children to the Zonal Hospital in Mandi. Due to their extremely critical condition, the children were subsequently referred to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College and Hospital at Nerchowk. Tragically, both siblings were declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
The loss has left the family in profound grief and has cast a pall of mourning over the Sehli locality. This incident comes at a time when Mandi district has been experiencing a noticeable increase in snakebite cases. Reports indicate that at least fifteen cases of snakebite have been recorded in the district recently, with three individuals having already lost their lives due to snakebites in the area.
The Chenab Times News Desk