Patna: A one-and-a-half-year-old child died after choking on a piece of candy at his home in Patna’s Khagaul area, in a tragedy that has left the family and neighbourhood in shock.
The incident occurred on Neemtal Road, where the child, identified by locals as the son of Chintu, was sucking on a jelly candy when it slipped into his windpipe. Family members noticed the toddler struggling to breathe and tried to dislodge the sweet, but their attempts failed.
The child was rushed towards the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, but died on the way, according to people familiar with the incident. His death has plunged the family into mourning, with relatives and neighbours gathering at the house as news spread through the locality.
Doctors say jelly candies and similar sweets pose a serious choking risk for infants and toddlers because of their size, texture and tendency to block the airway. “Young children do not have fully developed swallowing reflexes. Soft, sticky items can easily lodge in the windpipe and cause suffocation within minutes,” a paediatrician at a government hospital in Patna said.
No police complaint has been lodged in connection with the incident, which is being treated as an accidental death. Health experts have reiterated the need for constant supervision of small children and for avoiding foods that can become choking hazards, particularly for those under three years of age.
The death has sparked quiet concern among parents in the area, many of whom described the loss as a grim reminder of how quickly everyday objects can turn dangerous for young children.
