Titlagarh, Jan 13: A shocking and rare incident in Titlagarh, Odisha, has left a young child seriously injured after a toy that came inside a chips packet exploded, officials said on Tuesday.


The explosion was powerful enough to cause severe injury to the child's eye, resulting in the loss of vision in one eye.


According to local reports, the child after buying a packet of chips from a nearby shop in the village, he threw the toy in the fire. As soon as it caught fire, the toy suddenly exploded, and the fragments struck the child's face.


Doctors treating him said that the blast caused significant damage, including the loss of one eye, and he is currently under medical care. The father of the injured child has reported it to the Titilagarh police station.


The family has demanded action and compensation against the concerned chips company.


The incident has shocked the residents of Titlagarh and raised serious safety concerns about toys or foreign objects included in food product packaging.


A similar tragic incident was reported a few days ago from Musimaha village near Sikarmaha in the Daringbadi block of Kandhamal district. A four-year-old boy, Bigal Pradhan, son of Ranjit Pradhan, died after swallowing a plastic toy that was allegedly found inside a packet of chips.


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According to the family, the child had returned home from the local Anganwadi center and was playing when he was given the chips packet by his father. Mistaking the plastic toy for food, the child swallowed it, causing it to get lodged in his throat. He soon lost consciousness and was rushed to the nearest Group Health Centre, where doctors declared him dead.


(Compiled By: Aditi Majhi)