Tragic Incident in Chhattisgarh: Five Children Fall Ill After Wedding Celebration

A wedding celebration in Chhattisgarh took a tragic turn when five children fell seriously ill after consuming watermelon. The joyful gathering quickly transformed into chaos as the children exhibited severe symptoms, leading to one child's death. Authorities are investigating the incident, suspecting food poisoning as the cause. This shocking event has raised concerns in the community, prompting health officials to collect food samples for testing. Read on to learn more about this heartbreaking situation and the ongoing investigation.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 12, 2026, 18:15 IST

A Joyous Wedding Turns into a Nightmare

In a village in Chhattisgarh, a family gathering following a wedding took a horrifying turn when five children fell seriously ill just hours after consuming watermelon. The incident occurred in the Janjgir-Champa district, transforming a joyful celebration into a scene of panic, hospital rushes, and tragedy. On Monday afternoon, the atmosphere of happiness quickly shifted to chaos as the children began to vomit, experience severe abdominal pain, and struggle to breathe after eating the watermelon. Tragically, by the time they reached the district hospital, 15-year-old Akhilesh Dhivar had already stopped responding and was later pronounced dead by doctors.

Children's Sudden Illness Raises Alarm

According to officials, the children had arrived at their uncle's village after attending the wedding. Around noon, they consumed watermelon and other food items at home. Within two hours, all five children began to show symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and respiratory distress. The rapid deterioration of their health caused panic among family members, prompting them to rush the children to the hospital. The children were identified as Akhilesh Dhivar from Podhi Dalha, Shree Dhivar from Awarid, Pintu Dhivar from Khatola, and Narendra and Hitesh Dhivar from Kotgarh. Despite the relatives' desperate efforts, Akhilesh succumbed to his condition on the way to the hospital.

Concerns Over Food Poisoning

The sudden onset of illness and the tragic death raised suspicions of food poisoning, leading the district administration to initiate an immediate investigation. Upon receiving the news, Collector Janmejay Mahobe took notice of the incident. As concerns grew regarding the cause of the children's unconsciousness, health department and administrative teams arrived at both the village and the district hospital. Officials collected samples of the watermelon and other food items consumed by the children and sent them for laboratory testing. To determine the exact cause of death, doctors preserved samples of the internal organs following the autopsy.