Namakkal girl dies after eating shawarma, 43 more in hospital
NAMAKKAL: A 14-year-old girl died of suspected food poisoning on Monday, hours after consuming food at a restaurant near Paramathi Velur in Namakkal district on Saturday. Her body was later sent to Namakkal Medical College Hospital for postmortem.
Collector Dr S Uma said more than 43 people who ate at the restaurant on Friday and Saturday, including the girl’s family members, have also been hospitalised. Following the incident, the sale of shawarma and grilled and tandoori chicken dishes in hotels across Namakkal district has been temporarily banned.
According to revenue officials, “T Kalaiarasi (14), a student of Namakkal Municipality Higher Secondary School, had visited the hotel along with her parents Thavakumar (42) and T Sujatha (38), brother T Boopathi, and relatives Chinraj (56) and Kavitha (50) on Saturday.
They had consumed fried rice, shawarma and marinated meat dishes. After they got back to their home at A S Pettai, Kalaiarasi started vomiting. She also had a fever, dizziness and diarrhoea. On Sunday, she was taken to a private hospital where she was treated as an outpatient. On Monday, Kalaiarasi’s relatives found her dead on bed at home.
‘Of 200 people who ate at the eatery on Sat & Sun, 43 found to be affected’
Collector Dr S Uma said, “On Saturday, people who had consumed food at the restaurant had exhibited signs of vomiting, stomach pain, fever and other symptoms. We got the initial alert after 11 students of Namakkal medical College Hospital, who ate at the same hotel, were hospitalised on Saturday.
On Sunday, the family had taken the girl to a private clinic where she was prescribed medicine and discharged. On Monday morning, she was found dead. When officials went to her home on Monday, 12-year-old Boopathi, her brother, had low pulse and blood pressure and was in severe shock. The other family members also exhibited various symptoms. All members of the family have been admitted to the Namakkal Medical College Hospital.”
She added, “More than 200 people had consumed food at the restaurant on Friday and Saturday. Forty-three people, including five children and a pregnant woman, have so far been found to be infected. We inspected the restaurant. Though the meat was not found to be spoiled, we have destroyed the stock and sent the samples to the FSSAI labs in Salem. We also conducted an investigation into the supply chain and checked a local poultry farm. We have also formed a committee under the health department to investigate the functioning of the local clinic that gave first-aid to the girl,” she said.
SP S Rajesh Kannan said, “Three people, including restaurant owner Naveenkumar of Silvamapatti village and two cooks, Sanjai Mahagur and Dhabash Kumar, have been arrested under IPC 304 for culpable homicide, IPC 389 for causing hurt by poison and IPC 273 for sale of noxious food.”
Designated Food Safety Officer for Namakkal Dr KC Arun said, “We had conducted checks at that restaurant on multiple occasions and regularly check the quality of marinated meat and fishes sold at fast food restaurants once every two days.”
First such case on Sat
Collector Dr S Uma said, “We got the initial alert after 11 students of Namakkal medical College hospital, who ate at the same hotel, were hospitalised