In a shocking incident, a 4 year old toddler was admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) after a waiter of a restaurant served him caustic soda instead of sugar as mouth freshener. The incident took place at a restaurant in Sadashiv peth in Pune. Pune police has registered a case under Section 337 of Indian Penal Code against the owner and waiter of the restaurant on Tuesday.
“We are checking the CCTV camera footage of the restaurant to identify the waiter as the child does not remember. We are awaiting reports from the hospital regarding the child’s case. An arrest is imminent. Even if it is an act done by mistake, the child developed ulcers,” said senior inspector Krishna Indalkar of Dattawadi police station.
The four year old had gone to the restaurant with his elder brother and grandfather on Sunday where the incident took place.
“They had gone to Sarasbaug and around 6:30-6:45pm went to the restaurant. While leaving, the child asked for sugar as mouth freshener and a waiter handed him a bottle. As soon as he ate it, he started screaming. His grandfather tasted what he ate and found it to be washing soda,” said the mother of the injured.
The child was admitted to Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital where he was subjected to endoscopy to check whether he had swallowed any of the soda, according to the mother. “Superficial corrosive injury in mid and distal oesophagus with few exudates,” reads a report from Mangeshkar hospital.
According to mother of injured, the restaurant owner tried to settle the matter without the police getting involved, but the former refused.