Itahari: One child was killed while two fell ill after they consumed pesticide meant to kill flies today. According to DSP Rajendra Dhakal, nine-year-old Sunil Sardar of Haleshwor in Bhantabari of Haripur, died after he consumed the poisonous substance.

Sardar died on the way to the hospital after he fell unconscious while returning from school. Sardar had found the poisonous substance and had consumed it on his way to school.

Meanwhile, five-year-old Kopila Singh and six-year-old Sanjib Kamat of the same area fell seriously ill after consuming the poisonous substance. Singh is undergoing treatment in Dharan's BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences while Kamat is undergoing treatment in India's Birpur.

Haripur and its adjoining areas are on high alert as the poisonous substances in small packets have been scattered everywhere. The police have already recovered many pouches from the hands of several children of the village.

DSP Dhakal said they recovered about 30 pouches and suspected criminal gangs of scattering the poisonous substances. The police said the pouches were found scattered everywhere on roads and intersections of the area. DSP Dhakal said awareness campaigns had been launched to discourage kids from consuming the poison.

According to a local Umesh Sardar, all the schools of the area were closed after the incident. Guardians were not permitting their kids out of their houses, while the youths of the village are busy destroying the pouches.