Father and infant daughter lone survivors of family
TURA: The death toll from mushroom poisoning in Rongdong village of Siju has risen to six following the passing away of three other victims at a Guwahati hospital on Thursday.
Earlier this month, six members of a family from Mawsynram had died of mushroom poisoning.
Fate has dealt a tragic blow to the family of Anilla S Marak who along with four other members died from the effects of mushroom poisoning. It is only her husband and two year old daughter who have survived the tragedy.
The 35 year old mother of three children lost the battle against food poisoning at Guwahati International hospital along with her younger brother Rosbirth and her neighbour Sundilla M Sangma. While Rosbirth passed away on Wednesday night, Anilla and her 65 year old neighbour Sundilla Sangma died on Thursday.
The bodies of all three victims are being brought back to Garo Hills for the last rites at Siju village. Siju-Rongara MLA and Parliamentary Secretary Rophul S Marak, who happens to be a close family relative of the deceased, is accompanying the bodies back to South Garo Hills.
There is shock and disbelief in Siju region that a catastrophe of such scale could strike out almost an entire family.
The first victims to fall prey to the mushroom poisoning were Jonilla S Marak (grandmother) and four year old Bikame (Anilla’s daughter). The little girl died while being brought to Tura for medical treatment while the grandmother passed away at the civil hospital.
The heartfelt misfortune of the family was such that the mother not only lost her young daughter but also her 7 year old son Tebiangku who died on the way to Guwahati while being shifted together with her.
Her neighbour Sundilla was undergoing treatment at Goalpara hospital but developed complications and was taken to Guwahati along with Anilla and younger brother Rosbirth but multiple organ failure affected all three victims causing their deaths.
Anilla’s husband, Roben Sangma, is said to have survived as he reportedly did not consume the cooked mushrooms. Their infant daughter Chuanka also escaped death since she was still of breastfeeding age and had not been fed the meal.
The family had collected the mushrooms from a Jhum field and decided to have it for supper the same day. Their neighbour Sundilla Sangma also partook in the meal which ultimately resulted in her death also.