In a case of suspected food poisoning, over 200 people fell ill after consuming ‘prasad’ during a religious event at Lonar in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on Tuesday night during the ‘Harinam Saptah’, a week-long religious event, at Somthana village in Lonar taluka, Buldhana district collector Kiran Patil told PTI.
According to an India Today report, visuals showed several patients getting treated outside a hospital due to a shortage of beds with saline bottles hung from the ropes that were hooked to the trees.
According to an India Today report, visuals showed several patients getting treated outside a hospital due to a shortage of beds with saline bottles hung from the ropes that were hooked to the trees.
According to the report, devotees from Somthana and Khaparkhed villages came to the temple at 10 pm to take ‘prasad’. After eating the ‘prasad’, they complained of stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.
Those who became ill were quickly transported to a hospital located in Bibi village. However, due to a lack of available beds, a majority of the patients had to receive treatment outdoors, right on the road adjacent to the hospital. Saline bottles were hung from ropes attached to nearby trees.
“It was the sixth day of the religious programme in Somthana. ‘Prasad’ was distributed as it was ‘ekadashi’ (eleventh day) among 400 to 500 people. Several people complained of food poisoning and are being treated now,” a local told India Today.
The condition of all the patients was stable and most of them were discharged on Wednesday, Patil added. A team of doctors has been deployed in the village with an ambulance and other necessary equipment in case a medical emergency arises, he said.
“Samples of prasad have been sent to a laboratory for analysis and an inquiry will be initiated,” the collector said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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