Mumbai: Teen brushes teeth with rat killer, dies

Apsana Khan mistook rat poison tube for toothpaste. She died on Sunday. Representation pic

A teenager from Dharavi died two days after she brushed her teeth with rat poison mistaking the tube for that of toothpaste. The poison had spread in her entire body by the time she was rushed to hospital where she died, said police.

The incident happened on Friday morning. Apsana Khan, 18, had just woken up and was still drowsy when she accidentally picked up the rat killer tube to brush her teeth, said police. Within seconds she realised the difference in the taste and spit out the paste and rinsed her mouth, said police. As she felt fine, she went about her usual routine, but after sometime, she got dizzy.

Speaking with mid-day, her mother Shahjahan Khan said she took Apsana to a doctor when she complained of stomach ache, but the medicines didn't help. Scared that her mother would scold her, she hadn't told her about the rat poison earlier. When she finally did, Shahjahan took her to Sion hospital where her ECG and sonography were done and the reports came back normal. "I then took her to a private hospital, but thinking the medical bill would be too high, I went to JJ hospital." After battling for life for two days, she passed away on Sunday evening.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Pranaya Ashok said they have filed an Accidental Death Report. "If we come across anything suspicious, we will investigate and take further action."

She lived in Dharavi with her mother, elder sister and two brothers. Her mother has a fruit stall and her father had passed away earlier.