Poisonous Ratankot Seeds Cause Severe Illness in Seven Preschoolers

In the rural hamlet of Semikole, a group of seven children fell ill after eating seeds from a Ratankot tree located near the local Bajrangbali temple. The incident unfolded on a holiday Sunday when the youngsters were playing together. Within hours they complained of stomach pain, began vomiting and suffered from diarrhoea. Their parents rushed them to Mandla district hospital where doctors identified seed poisoning as the cause. After initial stabilization, the children are being kept in the pediatric ward for further observation.