Three girls die smoking out mosquitoes

BHUBANESWAR - Troubled by mosquitoes, three girls sharing a hostel room in Orissa’s Gajapati district decided to light some twigs and neem leaves to smoke out the blood-suckers - to fatal consequences.

The girls died Friday of asphyxiation. They were studying in Class 8 and 10 at K.C. Pur Girls High School in Gajapati district, about 350 km from here.

“Three girls had gone to sleep in their room last (Friday) night. They burnt twigs and neem leaves to get rid of mosquitoes. They also closed all the doors and windows of the room. Later, they were recovered in an unconscious state,” Gajapati district Chief Medical Officer Shyamaghana Biswal said.

The girls were rushed to a local hospital. While two of them died on the way, the third girl died during treatment.