Two children die, parents critical after family inhales powdered rat poison

Two children died and their parents were in hospital in critical condition, reportedly, due to inhaling poison.
According to the police, the four family members had slept with powdered rat poison kept in the room.
The parents were identified as Giridharan and Pavithra. The incident happened in an apartment building in Manancherry area of Kundrathur, on the outskirts of Chennai.

The apartment building where the incident occurred.

Giridharan, Pavithra, their one-year-old son and six year old daughter were found by their neighbours on Wednesday morning and taken to the hospital. The family members complained of dizziness and vomiting.
The son, Sai Sudharshan, and daughter, Vishalini, died at the hospital; Giridharan and Pavithra were said to be in critical condition.
Kundrathur Police opened an inquest into the incident. Preliminary findings show that two personnel from a pest control company had placed the rat poison.
Two men had visited the home and reportedly kept the powdered rat poison as Giridharan had availed the company’s services to get rid of rodents from his home.
This rat poison, in powder form, mixed and circulated in the closed, air-conditioned room during the night while the family slept.

The rat poison in powdered form was kept in the open in the room.

The four of them slept through the night, unwittingly inhaling poison.
The police registered a case against the pest control company, and further investigations were underway.