Boy, 2, swallows gooseberry, chokes to death

A two-year-old boy died after choking on a wild gooseberry (bettada nelikayi) at Malur in Kolar district Monday afternoon.

Police said the victim, Vijayendra, accidentally swallowed the large gooseberry while playing at home. The boy soon began struggling to breathe, prompting his parents to rush him to the govt hospital in Malur, where doctors declared him dead.

Vijayendra’s parents, Ravi and Mala, are roadside vendors who earn a living selling vegetables. Mala had brought the gooseberries home to prepare juice when the toddler accidentally swallowed one of them. The parents tried in vain to remove the fruit from the child’s throat before taking him to hospital.

Dr R Srinivas, administrative medical officer at govt hospital, Malur, said the child died before reaching the hospital and, therefore, no emergency treatment could be administered. Doctors later removed the gooseberry from the boy’s throat.