An 18-year-old girl from the Dharavi neighborhood of Mumbai, India, passed away last Sunday after mistakenly using rat poison instead of toothpaste. The unusual incident occurred around 10 AM on September 3, when Afsana Khan woke up to brush her teeth as usual. According to Indian media reports, Afsana, still a bit drowsy, accidentally grabbed a tube of rat poison stored next to her toothpaste and brushed her teeth with it.
However, after noticing a difference in taste and smell, she spat out the substance and rinsed her mouth. Feeling somewhat okay, she continued with her daily routine but soon experienced dizziness. Fearful of scolding from her family, she took some medication for severe stomach pain, but found no relief. She was transferred to at least three private and public hospitals without any improvement in her health.
As her condition rapidly deteriorated, Afsana eventually revealed to her family the serious mistake she had made by using rat poison instead of toothpaste, prompting them to rush her to a hospital for treatment last Sunday. Unfortunately, despite all efforts to save her, Afsana passed away, shocking her family, which includes her parents, an older sister, and two younger brothers, along with local residents.
The medical report concluded that Afsana died from poisoning, and the Dharavi police collected a sample for forensic analysis. Shortly thereafter, the police recorded statements from her family regarding the incident and filed a report of accidental death, while further investigations are ongoing, according to an official. The neighborhood where the girl died, Dharavi, is one of the largest slums in Asia, gaining notoriety after the acclaim received by the film "Slumdog Millionaire" from filmmakers, writers, and academics worldwide.
