Spider Bite Causes Child's Death In Assam's Tinsukia District

A seven-year-old girl has died of a spider bite in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district. The incident occurred in the Panitola village. The black-coloured spider had bitten her hand when she opened a bamboo basket containing eggs. Consequently, the child's hand had swollen.

She was first taken to a nearby pharmacy and later rushed to the Tinsukia civil hospital. She was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

The police have registered an unnatural death case. Forensic examination of the bite is underway and may help in identifying the spider species that led to the child's death. Samples are also being collected from the area where the incident occurred.

The incident highlights a growing concern over a shift in Assam's biodiversity and flooding, local reports suggest, quoting expert warnings over the destruction of the natural habitats of poisonous insects and snakes. Issues like deforestation and illegal mining are also believed to be among the causes pushing the wild into residential areas.