Over 70 admitted to hospitals after eating contaminated food in Sirohi

JAIPUR: At least 71 persons were admitted to hospitals when they fell ill after consuming contaminated panipuri in Paldi area of Reodar block in Sirohi district late on Saturday night.
Eating panipuri in the scorching heat proved costly for them when they started complaining of stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhoea. The incident happened at Paldi, which is an area accommodating around 2000 people.
Patients started pouring in at community health centre Reodar, which is close to Paldi area and within few hours, the CHC was full of patients with food poisoning.“Our children had panipuri and they also brought some to the house. All those who consumed it, fell ill,” said Uma Ram, a resident of Paldi, who is undergoing treatment at CHC Reodar.
There are 46 persons undergoing treatment at Reodar CHC, 12 at Abu Road CHC and three have been referred to district hospitals, who were complaining of more severe stomach pain.
“Condition of all the patients has improved. There is not a single patient whose condition has deteriorated,” said Dr SK Parmar, chief medical health officer (Sirohi).
“A 45-year-old panipuri vendor Raman Kumar sets his shop daily in Paldi. But, on Saturday evening, whoever ate his panipuri fell ill. Villagers told us that he had bought a fridge some days ago. But, power supply is not regular here, which might have made his potatoes stale. But, this is a matter of investigation,” he said adding that no patient has been discharged from the hospital yet.
Team of health department has collected samples of water, potatoes and other items sold by the panipuri vendor. However, the police said that no complaint has been registered against the panipuri vendor. “No FIR or complaint has been filed at the police station,” said Dilip Khadav, station house officer, Reodar.
He said that the lorry of the panipuri vendor has been seized.