Child loses eye in freebie toy explosion in Odisha’s Bolangir; police accused of inaction

Even after a tragic incident in which a young child lost an eye due to a freebie toy explosion inside a packet of chips (spiced crunchy puffcorn), the hazardous product continues to be sold openly in Bolangir markets, raising serious concerns over public safety and police inaction, sources said on Wednesday.

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The disturbing incident occurred last Monday in Sagadaghat village under Titilagarh police limits. An eight-year-old boy, son of Laba Haripal, was eating chips when a toy provided inside the packet allegedly came in contact with fire and exploded. The blast caused severe injuries, resulting in permanent damage to the child’s eye.

Following the incident, the minor’s parents approached Titilagarh police and lodged a complaint, demanding strict action against the concerned chips manufacturing company. However, despite the complaint, police have allegedly limited their response to making a station diary entry, without initiating a proper investigation or taking legal action.

Continued sale of the non-branded chips in local markets has further fuelled public outrage. Residents have expressed strong dissatisfaction, accusing the police of remaining passive instead of acting decisively in a case involving a child’s safety.

As no action has yet been taken against the company responsible, anger among the public and the victim boy’s family continues to intensify, with demands growing for immediate intervention and accountability.

“I was not present at home (when the incident occurred), but his (the victim boy’s) mother was present (cooking). Whenever the child goes out for tuition, he used to ask me for Rs 5-10 and take the money with him to have his tiffin outside,” Laba Haripal said.

“I had never seen such foods in my life beforehand, since my childhood days. He purchased a packet of chips and returned home from tuition. His mother was cooking at that time. As it was very cold outside, he sat near the fire,” the child’s father stated.

“While eating the chips, he suddenly found a toy, which was a lighter-like object, inside the packet. He ate the chips but threw the toy, thinking it to be of no use, into the fire. All of a sudden, the object blasted, leaving no scope for the child to escape,” Laba added.