Over 500 fall ill after consuming food prepared with 'kuttu' flour
New Delhi: Over 500 people who had eaten food prepared with buckwheat (kuttu) flour were taken ill in different parts of East Delhi and South Delhi, officials said on Wednesday. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of food adulteration or sale of spoiled flour, they said, adding that two FIRs had been registered in this regard in the respective districts.
While the owner of a general store in Kalyanpuri was booked by east district police, the proprietor of a Mehrauli grocery store was booked in south Delhi. Officials said the Kalyanpuri shop owner, one Bunty, was arrested late at night on Wednesday.
Senior officials said around 526 people were reportedly admitted to hospitals in East Delhi and that they complained of uneasiness, stomach ache and vomiting after they ate food prepared using 'kuttu' flour to break their 'Navratri' fast on Tuesday.
"We visited the area and Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, where many such people were admitted. All of them except four-five people have been discharged," they said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Deepak Yadav said the case in East Delhi was registered under sections 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.
A similar case was reported in South Delhi, where a family of six fell sick after eating food made with adulterated flour. The complainant in the case, one Raghuvinder Singh, had lodged the complaint based on which this case was registered. All six of the family were discharged on Wednesday. Police said a sample of the flour from the shop has been preserved and the same will be sent to the food adulteration lab in Lawrence Road. "Further action will be taken as per the report of the lab. No other complaint was received from any other family who had purchased flour from this shop," the official said. The Food and Adulteration department is also looking into the matter.
