Health Minister speaks to kin of Patiala girl who died after eating cake, orders probe

Tribune News Service

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, April 1

A day after the police arrested three employees of a bakery following the death of 10-year-old girl Manvi, Health Minister Balbir Singh spoke to the family today and assured all them all assistance. Speaking to The Tribune, the minister said he was shocked to learn about the tragic incident.

“I have spoken to the Secretary, Health, and ordered a probe into the matter. The case will be investigated from all angles and anyone responsible for the negligence will not be spared,” said Dr Balbir Singh, who is also the AAP candidate from Patiala. “It is no small issue. A 10-year-old girl died soon after eating her birthday cake. I expressed condolences to the family and assured all possible assistance,” said Dr Balbir Singh.

District Health Officer (DHO) Vijay Kumar said the matter was under investigation and four samples were collected from the bakery after receiving the complaint.

When asked whether the bakery owner was following the guidelines laid down by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India, Dr Vijay said it was not yet clear as the owner of the bakery unit was absconding and during preliminary investigation, it came to light that the bakery was registered as small vendor and had no licence.

The family has slammed the Health Department. Kajal, victim’s mother, said that the department did not collect the cake sample which was consumed by Manvi. “Even the police collected the sample in a callous manner in an open packet,” said Kajal.

The incident took place on March 24, when the family of victim Manvi (10) celebrated their daughter’s birthday and ordered a cake online.

Harbans Lal, maternal grandfather of the victim, added that five members of the family had eaten the cake. He claimed that while they felt uncomfortable and suffered from nausea, Manvi and her younger sister fell ill. While Manvi died, her younger sister survived.

A case has been registered against Kahna Bakery shop located on Peeli Sadak Road in Adalat Bazar under Sections 273 and 304-A of the IPC and three persons have been arrested. The accused Gurmeet Singh of Green View Colony, Ranjeet, Pawan Mishra and Vijay Kumar were booked today. Three bakery workers were apprehended and presented before the court on Sunday and sent on police remand. However, Gurmeet, the bakery owner, is still at large.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.