Neighbour pours starch on 4-year-old girl over quarrel

BALASORE/BHUBANESWAR: A quarrel between two women took an ugly turn on Sunday after one of them poured hot starch on the other's four-year-old daughter.
The child sustained 80% burn injuries and is in a serious condition.
"The neighbours - Annapurna Das and Basanti Das - are from Somapur village of the Chandbali block in Bhadrak. In the middle of a heated argument, Annapurna, who was carrying firewood, inadvertently hit Basanti's parked bicycle with the logs," said sub-divisional police officer Tarun Kumar Das.
An irate Basanti then rushed to her kitchen, brought out some hot starch and hurled it at Annapurna's daughter. "Another version is that she was targeting Annapurna, but she missed and the starch fell on her daughter Sriya, who was playing near the mother," added Das.
Sriya is admitted in the Bhadrak district headquarters hospital.
"Family members of the child allegedly hit Basanti with a stick after the incident. She is also injured and admitted in the same hospital," said investigation officer Dhanjay Munda of the Chandabali Police station.
Two separate FIRs were lodged on the basis of complaints by both the families. Police have started investigations.