200 fall ill after eating food at religious event

Our Correspondent

Palampur, March 6

Nearly 200 persons were taken ill after eating food at a religious function held at the MES complex in the local cantonment on Tuesday night.

Sources said that local unit of the Military Engineering Services (MES) had organised a ‘bhandara’ where more than 1,000 persons took food. Number of persons developed symptoms of loose motion, vomiting and fever soon after eating the food. Later, all these persons were shifted to the local civil hospital and Army Hospital.

Sources said that when the patients reached the hospital, the SRL Laboratory inside the hospital refused to conduct the medical tests. Besides, there was only one doctor on duty at that time, said the sources.

Dr Vinay Mahajan, Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital, said 50 persons suffering from loose motions and vomiting were examined by the doctors. Most of them were discharged after first aid. He said that five persons with low blood pressure and weakness were still admitted in the hospital.

Palampur DSP Amit Sharma said the police recorded the statements of the victims and initial investigation revealed that it was not a case of food poisoning. Most of the victims had already been discharged and no complaint was filed with the police.