200 fall ill after eating buckwheat flour during Navratri fasting in city

Around 200 people reportedly fell ill after consuming “kuttu ka atta” (buckwheat flour) during Navratri fasting in north-west Delhi, the police said on Tuesday.

The patients from various areas, including Jahangirpuri, Mahendra Park, Samaypur, Bhalswa Dairy, Lal Bagh and Swaroop Nagar, were found stable and no serious case was reported, they said.

The police said they began receiving calls at the Jahangirpuri police station around 6.10 am on Tuesday about people falling ill allegedly after eating food prepared using “kuttu atta”.

“Teams were rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram (BJRM) Hospital where the chief medical officer informed them that around 150 to 200 persons had reported to the emergency ward since morning,” the police said.

Officials said the suspected food poisoning triggered anxiety in the locality, especially as a large number of people are observing fasting on the occasion of Navratri.

The police immediately began sensitising shopkeepers, vendors and residents about the matter through beat staff and public address systems to prevent further panic.

The police said the matter was communicated to the Food Department for further necessary action, including a quality check of ‘kuttu atta’ being sold in the local markets.

“We are coordinating with the Food Department and local health officials. People are being made aware at the community level to ensure public safety,” the officer said.

The Food Department has initiated an investigation to determine if the “kuttu atta” consumed during the Navratri fasting was adulterated or contaminated.

The authorities are checking samples and sensitising shopkeepers and residents about food safety. They also urged people to buy food ingredients from reliable stores and look for proper labeling and quality certifications to avoid such risks.