Ludhiana snakebite tragedy: Siblings die after venomous snake bites them while sleeping
PTC Web Desk: A heartbreaking tragedy has struck a family in Punjab’s Ludhiana district just days before Rakhi, after two young siblings died following suspected bites from a venomous snake while they were sleeping in the courtyard of their home.
The victims have been identified as 8-year-old Jobanpreet Singh and his 6-year-old sister Jashanpreet Kaur, residents of Bassian village under Raikot.
The siblings were taken to hospital after the snakebite, but doctors could not save them. Jashanpreet died shortly after reaching the Civil Hospital in Raikot, while her brother died around 18 hours later during treatment at a hospital in Ludhiana.
The deaths have left the family and the entire area in shock, with the tragedy coming just before the festival of Rakhi. The funeral of both children was held together.
According to information available, Amandeep Singh and his family had been sleeping in the courtyard because of the intense heat and humidity.
The family included Amandeep Singh, his wife, three children and his elderly mother, Jinder Kaur. Jobanpreet and Jashanpreet were sleeping on a cot near their grandmother.
At around 3 am on Wednesday, Jobanpreet woke up and told his grandmother that something had bitten him on the hand. Initially, the family believed it could have been an insect bite.
However, the situation quickly became serious when the boy began crying in pain. While checking the area, the family noticed a snake moving underneath the cot.
Sister also fell ill moments later
After realising that Jobanpreet had been bitten by a snake, the family immediately tried to help him and tied a cloth around his hand.
The boy soon began experiencing severe difficulty in breathing.
Meanwhile, the commotion woke Jashanpreet. She urged her father to take her brother to hospital immediately. Soon afterwards, however, the girl’s condition also deteriorated and she began losing consciousness.
The family then realised that she too may have been bitten by the snake.
Both children were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Raikot without delay.
Doctors at the Raikot hospital confirmed the snakebite. Despite efforts to save her, 6-year-old Jashanpreet Kaur was declared dead after reaching the hospital.
Given the critical condition of Jobanpreet, doctors referred him to CMC Hospital in Ludhiana for further treatment.
He was admitted to the ICU and placed on a ventilator. However, according to the family, the venom had already spread significantly through his body.
At around 11 pm on Wednesday, nearly 18 hours after the incident, Jobanpreet also died while undergoing treatment.
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Jashanpreet was a Class 1 student, while her elder brother Jobanpreet studied in Class 3.
Their father, Amandeep Singh, said the family regularly slept in the courtyard during the summer because of the heat. He said they had never imagined that one such night would turn into a tragedy for the entire family.
The deaths of the two children shortly before Rakhi have cast a pall of grief over Bassian village and the surrounding area.
- PTC NEWS
