Food poisoning, 500 ill

The namkeen was reportedly distributed by unidentified people to the jhuggi children while the elders were preparing themselves to cast their vote.

DCP (south) Pradeep Srivastav said that some jhuggi dwellers are suspected to be behind the incident. They have sent the namkeen for forensic tests to ascertain the cause of the food poisoning. A case under Section 328 (causing food poisoning with an intention to commit an offence) has been registered at the Defence Colony Police Station.

At the hospital, the victims alleged that the incident was masterminded to prevent the voters from voting. On Monday night, six persons, including four wrestlers, had been arrested from the jhuggi area. They reportedly claimed to be party workers, sent to get the jhuggi cleared.

“The residents who went with their relatives to the hospital naturally did not cast their votes,” explained Suresh Masterji, whose wife and five children were affected after consuming the snacks. “Parents came back from half-way while on their way to the poll booths,” he said.

The first patient with symptoms of food poisoning was admitted to AIIMS around 9.30 a.m. With ambulance vans entering the hospital premises every five minutes, 60 victims were brought in within the next hour. The number, however, increased to 500 by 11.30 a.m. Some were also rushed to the nearby Safdarjung Hospital.

Unable to accommodate all the patients, the doctors along with volunteers, tended patients with salt water, charcoal and digene on the pavements outside the emergency ward.

Sushma Swaraj’s visit to the hospital evoked angry responses from relatives of the victims. The Chief Minister, who took a round of the casualty ward, was gheraoed by the irate public, demanding an explanation into the incident. Despite her repeated assurances that there would be a probe into the matter, slogans against her continued.

The Congress delegation was led by AICC president Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka. DPCC president Sheila Dikshit and Congress nominee for the Hauz Khas constituency, Kiran Walia, were also present. The DPCC has demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the incident. DPCC spokesman Brij Mohan said: “What has been meted out to people in slums is a heinous crime.” The party may also raise the demand for a repoll once all facts were clear, he added. He alleged that BJP workers had distributed the food packets. Mohan said that the BJP had allegedly resorted to this act to “pro-Congress voters prevent them from going to vote”.

The BJP, on the other hand, accused the Congress of creating trouble in the Hauz Khas constituency in order to get a re-poll. “We’re certain to win the elections in the constituency. Why should we do something to get it countermanded?” chairman of the Delhi campaign committee, Vijay Kumar Malhotra said. Delhi Chief Minister Sushma Swaraj claimed that the Congress had hatched a conspiracy’ to malign her and the BJP by linking the episode to her party workers. “I am the Chief Minister as well the candidate. My concern is to ensure the welfare of the people and not to just win elections,” she said.

“The Hardarpuri area that boasts of around 20,000 voters, was in a buoyant mood before the incident took place,” said Ruby, one of the dwellers. The men allegedly distributed snacks among children and women during the morning tea-time, saying that it was “prasad”, the jhuggi dwellers said.

“We did not know the people. It was time for morning tea and we accepted and consumed the namkeen,” said Pushpa, whose daughter is amongst those affected.

“We accepted it in goodwill,” said Sunita Padam. The residents were taken aback when one of the children complained of pain and giddiness.

Subsequently more complaints poured in from various blocks of the cluster. Sensing that the situation was serious, the dwellers took the patients to the hospital in the first vehicle available.