Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Mother of boy who died in cheese flicking says she is living 'in a black hole' of depression

MOTHER of a boy who was killed after cheese was thrown at him wants pupils to understand that an allergy can kill.

Rina Cheema's son Karanbir died following an anaphylactic reaction after cheese was flicked at him by another pupil at break time at his school in Greenford, West London.


Speaking to the BBC about his death she said: "I live in a black hole. Angry. My life is without my son. It's something that's going to haunt me for the rest of mt life."

She continued: "I sent him to a place where I thought he'd be safe, only to find out nobody knew what they were doing.

"If they knew that allergies causes problems - it's no harm giving him an EpiPen. They could have given him an EpiPen.

"Or even dialed 999 straight away. He would be here with me today."

Karanbir was severely allergic to wheat, gluten, all dairy products, eggs and all nuts and eggs, and was also asthmatic.

When the incident happened, in 2017, Karanbir went straight to the school office where he was given his asthma inhaler and an antihistamine.

When his condition started deteriorating, his adrenaline pen was used. However, it was out of date and a back-up was not in place.

The school immediately called an ambulance. Paramedics arrived at Karanbir's side half an hour after he had alerted staff, and he went into cardiac arrest.

He died 11 days later in hospital.

Urging people not to take an allergy as a joke, Rina said: "That's why I keep on saying to everybody: 'Please take allergies seriously.'

"Because it costs lives and again it has cost lives."

More For You

 Delhi toxic haze

More than 200,000 cases of acute respiratory illnesses were recorded in six state-run hospitals in Delhi between 2022 and 2024

Getty Images

Delhi moves schools online and bans construction as toxic haze chokes capital

Highlights

  • Delhi's AQI reaches 471 on Monday, classified as severe, with toxic haze disrupting flights and trains.
  • Schools shift to online classes for younger students; construction activity halted and older diesel trucks banned.
  • Over 200,000 acute respiratory illness cases recorded in Delhi's state-run hospitals between 2022 and 2024.

Schools in Delhi and surrounding areas have moved classes online and construction has been banned as the Indian capital grapples with hazardous air quality that has engulfed the city in a toxic haze.

On Monday morning, Delhi's air quality index (AQI) reached 471, according to the government's Safar app, more than 30 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization. The thick haze affected visibility, causing delays to flights and trains.

Keep ReadingShow less