RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM/VIJAYAWADA : A suspected case of milk adulteration has created havoc in East Godavari district, leaving four elderly people dead and 10 others hospitalised with severe kidney-related complications.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, calling the incident ‘extremely painful,’ announced an ex gratia of `10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and assured that the government will bear the entire medical expenses of those undergoing treatment.
The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over Chowdeswari Colony, Swaroopnagar, and nearby areas, where victims reported symptoms of vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal swelling, and anuria (absence of urine output).
Nine of the 12 patients are in ICU, with two on ventilator support. Dialysis is being administered in several cases, and doctors have noted elevated levels of urea and serum creatinine in blood samples, pointing to acute renal complications.
Medical teams monitoring situation in R’varam
The deceased were identified as Bhagisetti Kanaka Ratnam (76), Tadi Krishnaveni (75), BN Seshagirirao (72), and Radhakrishnamurthy (74). The condition of some of those undergoing treatment, including a three-year-old boy and a five-month-old infant, is reported to be critical.
Currently, they are undergoing dialysis. Officials confirmed that milk supplied by Varalakshmi Dairy in Narsapur village of Korukonda mandal was the common source, affecting more than 100 families.
Police have taken dairy operator Addala Ganeshwar Rao into custody, sealed the unit, and registered a case based on complaints from victims’ families.
District Collector Keerthi Chekuri and Superintendent of Police D Narasimha Kishore visited KIMS Hospital to review the condition of patients. Doctors informed them that five patients are stable, while others remain critical.
The Collector directed medical teams to ensure continuous monitoring and the best possible treatment. She also met relatives of the patients, offering reassurance and promising full government support.
Meanwhile, 14 medical teams have screened 957 families across 649 households.
Water, blood, urine, and milk samples have been dispatched to laboratories in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam for toxicology analysis.
Animal Husbandry officials tested 46 cattle to trace the contamination source. Local MLA Adireddy Srinivas said laboratory reports are expected soon and urged political parties not to politicise the issue.
Chief Minister Naidu held review meetings with district officials, health authorities, and food safety teams, directing senior officers to rush to Rajamahendravaram to oversee the situation.
He warned that profiteering at the cost of public health would be dealt with severely, promising strict action once inquiry reports are submitted. Rapid medical camps have also been set up locally to provide immediate care.
Reviewing the situation with ministers and officials in his Assembly chamber once again, he reiterated that the government is closely monitoring the crisis and will take stringent measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents. He emphasised that the administration must swiftly identify the root cause of tragedy.