Toll in suspected food poisoning in Dahod rises to eight

The death toll in a suspected case of food poisoning in Dahod district’s Bhulwan village went up to eight on Wednesday, with one more person succumbing during treatment.

Seven of the 17 affected persons died until Tuesday after allegedly consuming a meal from the concluding ceremony of a nine-day religious event in Bhulwan village on Sunday. While four persons died late Monday, three succumbed Tuesday evening.

According to police, the villagers participated in sacrificing goats at the concluding ceremony of “Jatar” gathering, which is a nine-day religious event held every five years to pray for the well-being of the village.

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

Dahod Superintendent of Police (SP) Hitesh Joysar told The Indian Express that the first autopsy report of the four deceased persons on Tuesday had indicated death due to poisoning but the police will collect forensic evidence.

“We have collected the samples today and will send them to the FSL. The primary cause of death is poisoning but a detailed histopathology report will confirm the cause,” Joysar said.