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Following the consumption of 'puris' and 'pakodas' made from buckwheat flour on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, over 60 people, including women and children, were hospitalised in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, officials said on Tuesday.
It has been reported that the affected individuals experienced symptoms such as vomiting, dizziness, and shivering. The admitted individuals hailed from places including Parkham, Baroda, Mirzapur, Makhdoom, and Khairat villages.
"We had fritters made from buckwheat flour last night. After that, I started vomiting and felt a burning sensation in my stomach," Priyanka, a teenager admitted to the government hospital, told PTI.
The affected indivisuals had purchased the buckwheat flour from two suppliers, Jhagdu and Rajkumar, who had sourced their goods from major grocery merchants in Farah. In view of the development, a team from the District Food and Drug Administration quickly launched and sealed the shops of two vendors supplying the contaminated buckwheat flour. A case has been registered against them as well.
What did the doctor say?
According to Dr. Bhudev Prasad, in-charge of the Rapid Response Team of the Health Department, complaints of food poisoning were received from several villages in the Farah police station area during the night.
"Teams from the Health Department, Farah Community Health Centre (CHC), and District Hospital responded swiftly. Initially, patients were treated at the CHC, but as numbers increased, they were moved to the District Hospital, the 100-bed Joint Hospital in Vrindavan, and SN Medical College in Agra," he said.
Dr Verma noted that from 10 PM on Monday, people in Farah villages who were observing Janmashtami fast, began complaining of stomachaches, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Initially, they were treated locally while severe cases were transferred to the CHC and hospitals in Agra.
What did the local authority say?
Following the incident, District Magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh instructed the District Food and Drug Administration to raid and seal the suppliers' shops. Police are searching for the accused shopkeepers.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Ajay Kumar Verma confirmed that over 60 people have been admitted to various hospitals. He further added that six victims were admitted to the SN Medical College in Agra, 15 to the District Hospital in Mathura, and the remainder to the 100-bed hospital and the CHC in Farah.
The District Magistrate stated that the Food and Drugs Department is continuing legal action and collecting samples from shops in the area. He added that all victims are stable and receiving ongoing treatment.
