Police identified the deceased as Ranjita Bishwakarma, 5 and Alina Bishwakarma, 4. Seriously ill Kanchhi Bishwakarma is currently receiving treatment at Ishan Children and Women’s Hospital in Kathmandu. She was rushed to Kathmandu following primary treatment at the district hospital.

The children were found frothing from their mouths and in serious condition near a shop in the village. Two of them had died while being rushed to the hospital, police said. The locals later recovered three packets of poison used for killing houseflies from the victims.

It is suspected that the children had stolen the poison from the shop and consumed it after mistaking it for sweet. Shopkeeper Nara Bahadur Gurung said a box containing the poison for killing flies was missing from his shop.

 “I have no knowledge as to who took the poison from my shop,” he clarified.