Three children have died and around 88 people fell ill after a suspected case of food poisoning in Mahad village near Khalapur in Raigad district, around 80 km from Mumbai. Three other persons are said to be in a critical condition and are being treated in intensive care units in different hospitals in Navi Mumbai.
An initial investigation has revealed that Organo phosphorous might have gotten mixed with any one of the food items consumed by those affected. Organo phosphorous is a kind of pesticide used in farming and often kept at home by those who are involved in the occupation.
The incident took place on Monday night at the newly constructed house of Subhash Mane. Mane had invited villagers and his relatives for a 'vastu-shanti' puja, followed by dinner.
"Food for around 130 to 150 people was prepared. The guests had lunch after 4 pm after the rituals were over," said Purhsottam Thorat, Khalapur Tehsildar.
Thorat said, "The function was a one-day affair, where dal, rice, puri, vegetables, pickle and papad were served. People who had eaten earlier in the day did not suffer from the ill-effects of the food, which has raised suspicions that the food may have been contaminated in the evening." He added that almost all those who ate late in the evening suffered from vomiting, stomach aches and dizziness.
According to police, at around 10 pm, Mane's minor daughter first started experiencing problems. She was taken to Mohite Hospital in Khopoli. Then his mother too started feeling unwell and were then shifted to Ashtvinayak hospital in Panvel. Mane's motehr Savitri is currently being treated in the ICU and her condition is said to be critical.
Thorat said that soon more complaints started pouring in and it was realised that it is a case of food poisoning.
The three children who died have been identified as Kalyani Prakash Shingule, 7, Rishikesh Shinde, 12, and Pragati Shinde, 13. They were declared brought dead at the MGM Hospital in Kamothe.
Vishwajeet Kaingade, senior police inspector of Khalapur police station said, "These three kids had food before 9 pm and they complained of vomiting and stomach aches. They were sent to a local hospital and then to MGM hospital at Kamothe. They were declared brought dead there."
While most of the people were discharged on Tuesday, around 20 patients are still being treated at different hospitals including MGM Hospital Kamothe; DY Patil, Nerul; Gandhi Hospital, Ashtavinayak Hospital and Prachin Hospital in Panvel.
Medical superintendent Dr KR Salgotra, from MGM Hospital in said that the patients are being treated for food poisoning. "There is a possibility that Organo phosphorous was mixed in the food," he said.
Balaji Shinde, an FDA officer from Raigad, who interacted with patients at MGM Hospital, also said that it seems that pesticides or insecticides may have mixed in the food. "We have sent the food collected from the site to a laboratory for tests to know the exact reason of contamination," said Shinde.
Meanwhile, Khalapur police have registered an accident death report and are probing the case further. The food was cooked in an empty house next to Mane's residence by a cook from the village.
FOOD SAMPLES BEING TESTED, POLICE PROBE ON
- Balaji Shinde, an FDA officer from Raigad, said that it seems that pesticides or insecticides may have been mixed in the food. “We have sent the food collected from the site to a laboratory for tests,” he said
- An accidental death report has been registered at Khalapur police station and the case is being probed further. The food was cooked in an empty house next to Mane’s residence by a cook from the village
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 "Food Poisoning")
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