Raksha Bandhan turns tragic for Ludhiana family: Young siblings die of snakebite

The siblings were sleeping on a cot in the courtyard of their home along with their grandmother, Jinder Kaur, when the snake bit them

A family’s preparations for Raksha Bandhan turned into tragedy in Bassian village after two siblings, aged eight and six, died of snakebite.

Brother, 8, dies at CMC hours after his 6-year-old sister succumbs at Raikot hospital (HT FILE)

The deceased have been identified as Jobanpreet Singh, 8, and his younger sister Jaspreet Kaur, 6. The siblings were sleeping on a cot in the courtyard of their home along with their grandmother, Jinder Kaur, when the snake bit them. The family had opted to sleep outdoors due to the heat, they said.

According to the family, the incident took place around 3 am on Wednesday when Jobanpreet complained to his grandmother that something had bitten his hand. Initially, the family assumed it was an insect or mosquito bite. However, his condition soon deteriorated, and he began crying in pain and experiencing breathing difficulties.

The family then noticed a bite mark on his hand and spotted a snake beneath the cot. By then, Jaspreet had also started showing signs of distress.

The children were rushed to the civil hospital in Raikot, where doctors confirmed that both had suffered snakebites. Jaspreet was declared brought dead at the hospital, while Jobanpreet, whose condition was critical, was referred to Christian Medical College (CMC) Hospital, Ludhiana.

Despite efforts to save him, Jobanpreet succumbed around 18 hours after his sister’s death, the family said. Both children, students of Class I and Class III, respectively, were cremated together on Thursday at their village. A pall of gloom descended on the village a day before Raksha Bandhan.