Madhya Pradesh man dies, son critical after eating watermelon

A man died, and his son remains in critical condition in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur after both fell ill after consuming watermelon.

The victim, identified as 43-year-old Indra Kumar Parihar, was a resident of Shajapur district and worked as a driver in Sheopur. He lived with his family in a rented house.

According to information provided by the family, Indra Kumar and his 21-year-old son Vinod were unwell on Thursday night. On Friday morning, both consumed watermelon at home. Soon after, their health deteriorated sharply.

Family members rushed the father and son to the Sheopur district hospital after their condition turned serious. Doctors later referred Indra Kumar to Kota due to his critical condition, but he died on the way. Vinod remains in a critical state.

Indra Kumar Parihar is survived by his wife Sangeeta, sons Vinod, Raja and Deva, and another family member, Radhika, who lived with them.

District Hospital Civil Surgeon Dr RB Goyal said doctors admitted two people to the hospital in serious condition on Friday morning. He added that authorities have not yet confirmed that watermelon consumption caused the death and said the patients may have suffered from a stomach infection. Doctors are conducting medical examinations, and officials will determine the exact cause only after the reports arrive.

The incident prompted people to raise questions about the possible presence of poisonous substances or chemicals in the fruit. However, officials said the exact cause of death will become clear only after the postmortem report arrives. Following the incident, the health department and local administration launched an investigation into the matter.

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