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3 found dead in Meghalaya room died due to mushroom poisoning: Police
The three, employees of the Institute of Science and Bio Resource (ISBR), were found dead in a room at the institute building which is being constructed in Umsawli
SHILLONG: Three persons including a woman were found dead in a room at the New Shillong Township late on Sunday evening, police said on Monday. Police said the three are believed to have died due to mushroom poisoning.
The three, all employees of the Institute of Science and Bio Resource (ISBR), were found dead in a room at the institute building which is being constructed in Umsawli. The three were identified as a security guard, Backstar Kharkrang (30), and two cleaners, Sheba Kharbani (40) and Rupert Donbor Dohtdong (43). The three are residents of Mawlai Phudmuri in the capital city.
Police said the three were found after being tipped about a foul smell coming from the room.
The crime scene unit along with the forensic team examined the spot. The bodies were later shifted to North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences for post-mortem.
East Khasi Hills (City) superintendent of police Vivek Syiem said foul play was ruled out after the initial autopsy report came in on Monday.
“Postmortem was carried out today which concluded that the three died of mushroom poisoning. They had foraged some wild mushrooms from the adjacent forest and consumed it after cooking on Thursday,” Vivek Syiem said. “That was the last time coworkers saw them”.
Cases of mushroom poisoning are not uncommon in Meghalaya and are mostly reported in urban areas where people may not be able to identify poisonous mushrooms, an officer said.
