Petty shopkeeper arrested for selling rat poison to children
A shopkeeper in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, was arrested for illegally selling rat poison to minors after three children attempted self-harm. Authorities are now conducting inspections to ensure pesticides are only sold by licensed retailers.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the critical need for strict regulation of hazardous substances and the importance of suicide prevention resources for youth.
A petty shopkeeper in Velankanni police limits in Nagapattinam district was arrested by the police for selling rat poison paste to children.
The action comes in the wake of three children purchasing the paste from the shop and attempting to end their lives recently. All three were rescued and admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital at Orathur after first aid at a local hospital. The health condition of all the three was stable, according to a police press release issued here.
Following the incident, the police have arrested Pushparaj, 46, the shopkeeper, for selling the paste to the children illegally and remanded him in judicial custody. The shop was also sealed, the release added.
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