Srinagar- A day after 52 persons were hospitalized after consuming poisonous food in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the locals on Saturday made a sensational claim that the pot in which Tehri (yellow rice) was served, was earlier used to accumulate Pesticides.
Talking to Kashmir Observer, several residents of Zaigipora village said that the person who had distributed the food had used the same pot for Tehri, which earlier, he had used for mixing pesticides for his garden.
“He had earlier used a pot for pesticides and then later, he had used the same pot for distributing Tehri,” One of the distressed fathers told Kashmir Observer at the GB Pant hospital here.
In fact, medical Superintendent of the GB Pant hospital, Dr Nazir Ahmed Chowdhary said that there are many reasons that can cause food poisoning.
“The most vicious of them is the use of chemicals in food. We’ll collect food samples and try to ascertain what really was fed to these children.” Ahmed told Kashmir Observer.
Pertinently, on Friday, a massive hue and cry had wrapped the Zaigipora village of district Budgam after 52 people, most of them children, complained of stomach ache and vomiting.
As per eye-witnesses, these people had consumed Tehri (yellow-rice) distributed by their neighbour in celebration of setting a base for his new house.
Soon after consuming the poisonous food, all the consumers had complained about stomach related complications and were immediately shifted to different hospitals in Kashmir, of which 30 children are currently admitted at Srinagar’s GB Pant hospital.
However, the doctors treating these patients at various hospitals of Kashmir have stated their condition to be stable.
Medical Superintendent, GB Pant hospital, Dr Nazir Ahmad Chowdhary told Kashmir Observer that 30 children have been admitted in the hospital so far.
“These children had consumed Tehri last evening. Soon after consuming the poisonous food, these children had started vomiting and complained of diarrhoea. After being admitted to our hospital, we started our necessary procedure to make their condition stable. Except for two patients who are still complaining about dehydration and diarrhoea, all the other patients are stable,” he said.
He further added that these children will be kept under observation in the hospital till Monday.
Lamenting on the alleged irresponsibility of his neighbour, Feroz Ahmed from Zaigipora village, whose 7 year old son is still in the hospital, says that he’ll file a police complaint against his neighbour for jeopardizing his son’s life.
“I too was offered Tehri but I cordially denied it as I’m allergic to Tehri. But my son, out of respect, had taken hardly 2 spoons of that rice and immediately after eating it, he complained of stomach ache and later, started vomiting.”
He further added, “Whenever my son is discharged, I’ll file a police complaint against my neighbour,”
Expressing his anguish over the incident, another villager said that this is not how one makes others part of his happiness.
“What if my nephew would’ve died because of that Tehri. My nephew had taken only a small portion of meat and immediately after consuming it, he started vomiting. If he would’ve died, would my neighbour subside it by referring to it as an accident? I’ll make sure that he’s booked under case for murder.” Nazir Ahmed, whose 20 year old nephew is currently admitted in SMHS, told Kashmir Observer.
Dr Tajamul Hussain Khan, CMO Budgam said that they have so far received about 20 people from the village at Sub District hospital Charar-I-sharief and all of them are stable.
Talking to Kashmir Observer, Medical Superintendent, SMHS hospital, Dr Kanwaljeet Singh said that there are two adult patients admitted in the hospital.
“Both of these patients were admitted to the hospital with food poisoning. They have gastro-intestinal infection but they’re stable now” Singh added.
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