Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal

Bantwal, Jun 17: A five-year-old girl who had been suffering from illness for the past couple of days passed away on June 16 despite medical treatment.

The deceased has been identified as Aarnika (5), a UKG student of SVS Devala School, and a native of Aneja in Allipade.

According to family members, Aarnika had attended school on Friday and actively participated in school activities. On Saturday, she developed a fever and was taken to a hospital in Mangaluru on medical advice. However, she did not respond to treatment and passed away on Tuesday.

Harnika was the only daughter of Prajwal and Chhaya. The family had recently been residing in Bantwal, while the child used to commute to school from her grandmother’s house in Allipade.

In January this year, Harnika had sustained injuries when the auto-rickshaw in which she was travelling from Allipade to school overturned. She had undergone treatment and recovered from those injuries.

Several dignitaries, including former minister B Ramanath Rai, visited the bereaved family and expressed their condolences. As a mark of respect to the deceased child, a holiday was declared at Bantwal SVS Devala English Medium School.

Responding to media queries regarding the child’s death, Bantwal taluk health officer Dr Ashok Kumar Rai said that the girl, who had been admitted with fever, was found to have sodium and potassium deficiency. This contributed to the worsening of her condition, according to information received from the private hospital where she had been admitted, he said.

Meanwhile, Varadaraj of Saneepada House, a relative of Aarnika’s mother and a resident of Aneja in Allipade, also passed away on Tuesday morning due to illness. As a result, an atmosphere of grief prevailed in both neighbouring households.