PANCHTHAR: Number of deaths caused by eating pork at Panchthar District Prison has increased to three after a prisoner died at B&C Hospital in Birtamode of Jhapa district yesterday night.

The deceased has been identified as Sundar Rai of Phalelung Rural Municipality-7 in Panchthar district, informed Deputy Superintendent of Police, Siddharaj Neupane. Deceased Rai was serving prison sentence on rape charges.

Two more inmates had died earlier on October 5 and 6. The deceased were Jaya Prashad Jawegu of Phidim Municipality-10 and Buddhi Kerung of Phalelung Rural Municipality-8.

One more from the group, Dinesh Khujum of Kummayak-4, has been sent back to prison after treatment at B&C Hospital.

According to Surendra Mukhiya, Chief at the District Prison, three pigs were slaughtered for the prison inmates during Dashain festival on October 4. Rai, Jawegu, Kerung and Khujum were soon taken to Panchthar Hospital when they started vomiting after eating the pigs' gall bladder, the same night, he added.

All three inmates were transferred to B&C Hospital after Kerung died at around 4:00 pm on October 5 in Panchthar Hospital. Jawegu died at the health facility the next day, informed prison administration.

All the ill inmates used to prefer eating animal gall bladders, added the prison administration.

Doctor Bhupal Shrestha at Panchthar District Hospital reported excessive consumption of gall bladder to be the cause of death. They died of kidney failure as their condition didn't improve after severe diarrhoea and vomiting, added Doctor Shrestha.

However, other inmates who ate the pork remained unaffected.