8-year-old boy dies of hunger in Madhya Pradesh

Other members of the family were hospitalised after they began vomiting and suffered bouts of diarrhoea. Locals said the family had no ration card to avail necessities at cheap prices and few villagers were helping them by providing food  

 Barwani: An 8-year-old boy from Madhya Pradesh allegedly died of hunger on Monday while five other members of his family have been hospitalised following complaints of vomiting and diarrhoea in Sendhwa block of Barwani district.

 The relatives of Ratan Kumar's family claimed that they had not eaten anything for the last few days. One of them also alleged that the family has no ration card to avail monthly ration at cheap rates and some villagers were helping them with the food.
 "They are daily wage earners. They were not receiving benefits of any government scheme," a relative told ANI.

 Dr Sunil Patel, who attended to the family, said the affected family told him that they had not taken food for the last few days.

 Anshu Jawla, the Sub-divisional magistrate of Barwani, said that prima facie evidence shows that they had not consumed food since last few days.

 "They were also suffering from severe diarrhoea. Field staff are directed to further look into the matter," the magistrate said.

 Assuring that the family would receive benefits of the government welfare schemes, the officer said that strict action would be taken against those found guilty in the case. (ANI)