Suspected food poisoning: Probe begins after seven dead in Dahod

Police said that the local residents, as per tradition, sacrificed six goats and the cooked meat was distributed among the people of the village as “prasad”. A total of 17 persons — all males — were admitted to the hospital until Tuesday, police said.

“Late night, close to 10 people reported uneasiness and frothing at their mouths. They were rushed to the Devgadh Baria government hospital for treatment. Four persons died on Monday evening during treatment and the district health department sent its team for examination and the primary cause of the death is seen as food poisoning,” a senior police officer told The Indian Express.

“It is a matter of investigation whether the affected people also consumed some locally brewed alcohol,” he added.

The Dahod police on Tuesday sent bodies of the four deceased for postmortem after registering a case of accidental death.

Late on Monday night, Dahod superintendent of police Hitesh Joysar also visited the hospital, where nine persons were undergoing treatment.

Joysar told The Indian Express, “The incident is extremely tragic. A total of seven persons have died — three died on Tuesday. Ten persons are admitted to the hospital and the district health department is conducting a check in the village to see if anyone else has symptoms of poisoning… the participants of this event will be monitored for seven days. Police are working closely with the district collector.”

Joysar said that the first autopsy report on Tuesday has indicated death due to poisoining but the police will collect forensic evidence by sending samples of the viscera and seeking histopathology from the Forensic Science Laboratory.

He told this newspaper, “We have collected samples and we will send them to the FSL… The primary cause of death is poisoning but a detailed histopathology report will confirm the toxic element hat led to this tragedy.”