New Delhi: At least 50 people were hospitalised of suspected food poisoning after eating pakoras made from kuttu flour (Buckwheat flour) during the Krishna Janmashtami celebrations in villages of Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district. These villages include Parham, Baroda, Mirzapur, and Makhdoom Khairat in the Farah area of the district.
Six critically ill after consuming buckwheat flour
The affected people were rushed to a community health centre in Farah. However, as the number of patients increased, many had to be transferred to other hospitals for further treatment. Six critically ill were referred to S N Hospital in Agra, 15 were admitted to the district hospital in Mathura, and 11 were taken to Sauseya Hospital.
The situation has sent shockwaves in the health department, as this is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the region. A similar outbreak of food poisoning was reported just a few months ago, leading to dozens of hospitalisations. Despite previous incidents, it appears that little has been done to prevent these incidents.
Question mark over effectiveness of food safety measures
The timing of the incident has added to the distress, as the affected individuals were observing fasts associated with Krishna Janmashtami. For many, the day began with Lord Krishna worship and ended in a rush to the hospital.
The incident raises questions over the effectiveness of the food safety measures. The incident has put the role of the local food safety department under scanner and whether adequate checks were carried out on food items.
Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated all over the country on Monday, August 27. The festival in Mathura witnesses special celebrations because of mythological associations with Lord Krishna.
A five-day festival began on Sunday with festivities to go on till Thursday. The Krishna Janmasthan temple remained open for 20 hours on Monday for the convenience of devotees.