CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Agriculture Department has revoked the license of a pesticide firm following the tragic death of two children due to inhaling toxic fumes from pesticides sprayed inside an apartment in Chennai.
Officials reported that during an inspection, rat poison was found in the apartment, which led to the children’s deaths.
Forensic experts seized rodenticide from the pest control company, and it has been sent to a laboratory for testing.
The Kundrathur Police in Chennai have arrested two employees of the firm—Dinakaran and Shankar Das—who allegedly placed pesticide in 12 spots within a single room.
This action was in violation of safety norms, which allow pesticide placement at only three spots per room.
The victims, Vaishnavi (6) and her toddler brother, Sai Sudarshan, died after inhaling the toxic fumes.
Their parents, Giridharan and Pavithra, were hospitalised in critical condition after also being exposed to the fumes in their apartment in Kundrathur.
According to a senior official of the Tambaram Police Commissionerate, the family had hired the pest control company to address a rodent infestation.
On Wednesday, Dinakaran, a pest control agent, sprayed rat poison in the house.
The next morning, the family experienced severe breathing difficulties. Neighbours rushed them to a private hospital in Porur, where Vaishnavi and Sai Sudarshan passed away.
Giridharan and Pavithra remain under treatment. Initial investigations revealed that Dinakaran and Shankar Das used excessive quantity of rat poison in the apartment.
The pesticide, in powdered form, circulated in the closed, air-conditioned room overnight while the family was asleep.
The police have registered a case against the pest control company based in T. Nagar and are searching for its owner, Premkumar, who has been absconding since the incident.
Preliminary investigations confirmed that the excessive use of rodenticide was the primary cause of the deaths.
Police are also investigating the company’s practices and conducting an inquiry to determine if the firm violated safety guidelines.