Four-year-old dies after swallowing toy from chips packet

Bhubaneswar: A four-year-old boy died after accidentally swallowing a miniature plastic toy that came inside a packet of chips in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Tuesday afternoon.

According to locals, parents had taken their son along to their farmland and bought him a packet of chips on the way.

While his parents were busy working, the boy opened the packet and found a tiny toy gun inside. He reportedly played with it for some time before accidentally swallowing it.

The toy got stuck in his throat, blocking his airway. Seeing their child gasping for breath, the father tried to remove the object by putting his hand into the boy’s mouth but was unsuccessful. The family rushed him to a nearby health centre about 30 km away, where he arrived in critical condition. Doctors declared him dead later that night.

The incident occurred around 4.30 pm at Musumahapada near Shikaramaha village under the Brahmanigaon police limits and the deceased child has been identified as Bigil Pradhan.

Dr. Jakesh Samantaray, in-charge of the hospital, said the child’s father informed the medical staff that the toy from the chips packet had blocked the boy’s windpipe, leading to his death.

Police reached the village after being informed. A police officer said the family has not yet filed a formal complaint, but an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances of the incident.

According to local media, SK Nayak, Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer of Ganjam, cautioned that such objects pose a serious risk not only to children but even to adults if accidentally swallowed.

Private practitioner Dr. Subash Sahu urged authorities to take strict action, saying, “FSSAI should monitor packaged snacks carefully and ban toys inside them. Companies must be held accountable if they continue this practice.”