3rd death after consuming abandoned sweets in Chhindwara:Deceased’s sister alleges dispute with in-laws; suspects conspiracy

A third person has died after consuming suspicious sweets left at a hotel in Junnardev, Chhindwara district. Khushbu, who was referred from Chhindwara to Nagpur late Tuesday night, died during treatment at around 6:30 am on Wednesday. Doctors said all her vital organs had stopped functioning. Earlier, on Tuesday (January 13), Sundar Lal Kathuria (72) died while undergoing treatment. Before him, a guard posted with the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department had also died. With Khushbu’s death, the toll has now reached three. Four people fell ill after eating the sweets A total of four people were affected after consuming the sweets. Another woman who had fallen ill is reported to be stable and is undergoing treatment. Health officials are closely monitoring her condition. Unclaimed bag left at hotel According to police, an unknown person left a bag containing sweets at a hotel near the PHE department. When no one came to claim the bag for a long time, people present at the hotel consumed the sweets. Soon after eating them, they began to feel unwell. The sweets were seized by police on Sunday and sent for examination. Khushbu’s sister, Muskan Khare, has alleged that the incident could be a well-planned conspiracy. She said Khushbu had a family dispute with her in-laws and had been living at her parents’ home for the past month. The timing of the incident has raised suspicion among family members. Police scan CCTV footage Junnardev police station in-charge Rakesh Baghel said the case is being investigated from all angles due to its seriousness. CCTV footage from the hotel and nearby areas is being scanned to identify who left the bag. Block Medical Officer Dr. Suresh Nagvanshi said the exact cause of death will be confirmed after laboratory analysis of the food samples and post-mortem reports. Police said further action will be taken based on the findings.