Mysuru, 2 August

A five-year-old boy died after allegedly swallowing a small plastic ball that came as a complimentary item inside a packet of Kurkure chips in Gouripura village of Hunsur taluk in Mysuru district, police said.

The victim, Mukund Mayur, son of Santosh and Aishwarya and grandson of former Gram Panchayat vice-president Gouramma and Shankar Nayak, was crying on Saturday evening when his family gave him a packet of chips to calm him down.

According to preliminary information, the boy accidentally swallowed the plastic ball while playing with the complimentary toy included in the snack pack. The object is suspected to have become lodged in his throat, causing suffocation.

The child developed breathing difficulties and was rushed to Hunsur General Hospital, but died on the way.

Police said the plastic ball had come with the snack packet as a promotional gift. However, the family has not lodged any complaint over the incident. Consequently, no Unnatural Death Report (UDR) has been registered and no criminal case has been initiated.