HYDERABAD: Three infants have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital at Ramkote in the city and their health condition is said to be very critical allegedly after drinking a popular mango-flavoured drink on Saturday. The kids - three-year-old Faizan, one-year-old Arhan and four-year-old Azaan - are residents of Indiranagar in Kalapathar of the Old City.
The children, who were rushed to Farah Hospital in Jahanuma, were shifted to Aditya Hospital in Ramkote at 3 am on Sunday, after doctors said that their health condition was critical. They were admitted to ICU and doctors said that Azaan and Arhan will be kept under observation for 48 hours. But the health condition of Faizan is still causing concern as his pulse rate is dangerously low. “Dr Yusufuddin of Farah Hospital in Jahanuma told us that the health of Faizan was deteriorating. He referred the three to Aditya Hospital,” said Azeem Shah, 27, father of the children. Azeem said that they didn’t cook food at home on Saturday due to construction work at home and Ramzan fasting. By evening, hebrought them three packets of Frooti. It is said that the children collapsed after consuming the soft drink.
Kalapathar police have booked a case against Frooti retailer Isaamuddin and Syed Kaza Fayaz of Royal General Store, the wholesale dealer from whom the vendor bought the soft drink packets following the incident where three kids were taken ill after consuming the soft drink.
“All the samples have been seized from Nizam Communications and the wholesale dealer’s godown. We have sent samples to the forensic laboratory for testing and the report is expected within five days. If it is found that the poisoning happened due to consumption of Frooti, Isaamuddin and Syed Kaza Fayaz would be arrested,” said Kalapathar Sub inspector G Shravan Kumar.
“Within half an hour of consuming the soft drink, the three children collapsed and we rushed them to Farah hospital by 7.30 pm. As their health deteriorated they were shifted to Aditya hospital by 3 am on Sunday, where Dr Pritish Naigar is taking care of them,” said Azeem.
Expressing doubt about the poisonous content in the soft drink, Azeem claimed that the kids felt uncomfortable after consuming it.
“Both the doctors have blamed poisoning due to consumption of Frooti, for the kids’ sickness. Dr Yusufuddin said that toxic contents might have accumulated due to improper cooling. The Frooti packets were consumed before the expiry date,” he asserted. The incident came as a shocker to the family and Azeem said he had already spent over `60,000 for treatment and other hospital expenses.
However, the shopkeepers begged innocence.
“We don’t open the fridge during Ramzan. How can it be a cooling problem? Azeem is our distant relative. Why would we give spurious soft drink to him?” asked Md Kalim of Nizam Communications.
