102 Fall Ill After Eating Snacks at UP Fair in Amethi, Two Arrested
At least 102 people, including 39 children, fell ill after allegedly consuming kachoris and tikkis at a food stall during a fair in Amethi district on Thursday, prompting police to arrest two men, officials said.
The affected people reportedly developed vomiting and diarrhoea after eating the snacks at the fair in Kotwa village. Following the incident, authorities dispatched a medical team to examine and treat those who fell ill.
Superintendent of Police Sarvanan T said police registered a case against Rajkumar, who had set up the food stall at the fair, and Shiv Kumar, whose cooking oil was used in preparing the snacks. Both accused, residents of Materwa village under the Mohanganj police station limits, have been arrested and are being questioned.
The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Food Safety Officer Mithun. The case invokes Section 275 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Anshuman Singh said the village head alerted the authorities after children and adults began experiencing symptoms following the consumption of the snacks. A medical team was subsequently sent to the village, where it examined and treated all 102 affected people, comprising 39 children and 63 adults, the CMO said.
Of those affected, 17 people, including 10 children and seven adults, were referred to the medical college in Tiloi after experiencing severe vomiting and requiring further treatment.
Singh said all the patients were out of danger. A health team continued to remain in the village to monitor the situation and provide medical assistance if required.
The precise cause of the illness has not yet been established, and the available information does not confirm whether the cooking oil or any other ingredient was responsible for the suspected food poisoning.
The investigation is continuing, while health personnel remain on the ground to monitor the condition of the affected residents.