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4 Khajuraho hotel employees dead, 5 critical after meal at staff quarters; probe ordered

They had rice with potato-cabbage curry around 3 pm on Monday, after which they were admitted to hospital following severe vomiting. The staff’s food is prepared separately, district authorities said.

2 min readBhopalUpdated: Dec 9, 2025 10:33 PM IST

The victims, all staff members at a local hotel in the ancient temple town, ate rice with potato-cabbage curry around 3 pm on Monday.(Unsplash)

Four hotel employees died, and five others remain in critical condition after consuming contaminated food at their workplace in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district on Monday, officials confirmed Tuesday.

The victims, all staff members at a local hotel in the ancient temple town, ate rice with potato-cabbage curry around 3 pm on Monday. By nightfall, all eight began vomiting severely, with their conditions rapidly deteriorating.

Chhatarpur Chief Medical Health Officer R P Gupta said, “The workers involved were employed at the hotel, handling gardening and maintenance work. Behind the hotel premises, there were two rooms where they used to cook their meals themselves. This incident occurred immediately after they had eaten food. The workers all ate together, and soon afterwards, they experienced vomiting.”

Gupta said eight patients who were vomiting were brought to the hospital. “I sent the team of food officers here, they sealed this place and took samples… The staff’s food was prepared separately in the quarters.”

“The patients were immediately rushed to the district hospital, which referred them to Gwalior for advanced treatment,” said a senior health official from Chhatarpur District Hospital. “Three died during treatment in Gwalior, and another succumbed while being transferred. Several patients remain on ventilators,” the official said.

The deceased have been identified as Pragilal Kushwaha (45), Girja Rajak (35), Ramswaroop Kushwaha (47), and Bihari Patel (60), all Khajuraho residents. Among those in critical condition are Roshni Rajak (35), Golu Agnihotri (25), and Ravi (19).

District Collector Parth Jaiswal announced Rs 20,000 in financial assistance for affected families and said food samples have been sent for forensic examination. “The matter is being investigated seriously,” he said.

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A health department team has launched an investigation into the hotel’s kitchen operations and food quality standards.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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