Mother's stingy attitude proves fatal

The frugal nature of a mother proved fatal to both herself and her son here after they consumed kheer made of jaggery that was partly tinged with pesticide.

Sumathy (32), a mother of six, belonging to Panakudi near Valliyoor in the district, had stored the jaggery near a box of pesticide in her house.

A small amount of pesticide had spilled on the jaggery, but Sumathy had sliced that portion off and prepared kheer, police said.

She had given the sweet to all her six children last night and took it herself, following which all of them, including herself, complained of vomitting and fainted, police said.

Meanwhile, neighbours asssured Sumathy that they would be alright as they had vomitted, police said. However, an ambulance was called in when their condition worsened. Sumathy and her 14-year-old son, Sutheesh, died before the ambulance arrived, police said.

The condition of all the other children except one was stable today, officials said.