Nearly 200 fall ill after consuming buckwheat flour in Delhi; all discharged from hospital

New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) Nearly 200 people have fallen ill due to food poisoning allegedly after consuming buckwheat flour during Navratri fasting in northwest Delhi, police said on Tuesday.

The patients hailing from various areas, including Jahangirpuri, Mahendra Park, Samaypur, Bhalswa Dairy, Lal Bagh and Swaroop Nagar, were taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital where they were given primary treatment, the police said.

No serious case was reported, they added.

Officials said they began to receive calls at around 6.10 am on Tuesday at Jahangirpuri police station about multiple people starting to fall sick allegedly after eating food prepared with 'kuttu atta' (buckwheat flour).

"Teams were rushed to BJRM Hospital, where the chief medical officer said that around 200 people had reported to the emergency ward since morning," a police official said.

Officials said the suspected food poisoning triggered panic in the locality, as large numbers of people were observing fast on the occasion of Navratri.

The police began sensitising shopkeepers, vendors and residents about the matter through beat staff and public address systems to prevent further panic.

The matter has been communicated to the Food Safety Department for further necessary action, including a quality check of kuttu atta being sold in local markets, the officials said.

"We are coordinating with the Food Department and local health officials. People are being made aware at the community level to ensure public safety," another officer said.

As the news spread, several local residents gathered at a shop in Jahangirpuri from where they had purchased the flour and demanded strict action against the shopkeeper.

"We have deployed additional police force in the area to maintain law and order. Those who fell sick were immediately rushed to the hospital where after treatment, they were discharged. We are closely monitoring the situation," the officer said, adding that the activities of concerned shopkeepers are also being closely monitored.

Dr Vishesh Yadav, Chief Medical Officer at BJRM Hospital, stated that nearly 200 people were brought to the hospital’s emergency ward. All complained of vomiting and diarrhoea, but none of them was in serious condition, he said.

The patients were given primary treatment and medicines, after which they were discharged, the CMO said.

Police sources said that the Food Safety Department has collected flour samples for testing. Responsibility will be fixed only after the report comes in, they said.

Following the incident, panic spread across the affected areas. People are avoiding buying buckwheat flour, while shopkeepers are trying to assure customers that their products are safe.

During Navratri fasting, buckwheat flour or kuttu atta is used to prepare food items like 'rotis' and 'puris'. PTI BM BM KVK KVK