Food poisoning: Early birds' lucky escape

Kalyani Prakash Shingole, 7, was not as lucky as her elder sister and younger brother. She had eaten the food in the evening while her siblings had lunch during the day time. She could not survive, while her siblings are under doctors' observation and out of danger.

Ganesh Shingole, her maternal uncle, said that her elder sister Diksha and brother Swaraj had eaten around 4 pm when the food was being serving. "Kalyani did not join her siblings as she wanted to play and she came to eat only at around 7.30 pm," said Ganesh. He added that at around 9.30 pm, she started vomiting and complained of stomach aches. She was taken to a hospital in Khalapur and then to MGM Hospital in Kamothe in Navi Mumbai, but by then she had died.

The food was arranged by Subhash Mane, a gardener by profession, for vastu shanti puja in his new house. Mane's wife Savitri is also in a critical condition and is being treated at Ashtavinayak Hospital in Khanda Colony, Panvel.

Dr (Lt Gen) K R Salgotra, medical superintendent at MGM Hospital said that a total 10 patients were admitted in the hospital, of which, three were brought dead while one is in ICU and her condition is critical. "We shifted four patients to Prachin Hospital and Ashtavinayak Hospital," said Dr Salgotra.

Vilash Thikrey, 13, admitted in DY Patil hospital recalled that he had eaten the food at around 8 pm. "We first ate sheera as prasad and then rice, dal, vegetables, papad, pickle and some sweets. The dal tasted a bit bitter." Similarly, his father Vijay, 40, who had not eaten anything is alright.