400 People Fall Ill After Consuming Prasad In Jorhat District Of Assam

Nearly 400 people have been affected by food poisoning in Majuli island of Assam's Jorhat district after consuming prasad at a religious function.

Complaining of acute stomach pain, vomiting and loose motion, the people from three villages have rushed for medical treatment at Goromur Pitambor Devogoswami 100-bed Sub- divisional Hospital, Sub-divisional Medical Officer Dr Manik Mili said.

As the condition of the 400 patients admitted at the Goromur Hospital did not improve, Dr Mili said all of them were shifted to Jorhat Medical College Hospital in the district headquarters.

There are only four government doctors in the island and unable to handle the flow of patients. All the 22 children, shifted to JMCH yesterday, were stated to be stable by hospital superintendent Dr Bobijit Goswami.

All the affected people from three villages -Kakhorkotagoan, Pohumoragoan and Silakolagoan - had eaten prasad of soaked chickpeas, green moong dal and fruits at a religious function at the residence of a person in Kakohorkotagoan under Goromur Police Station yesterday.

Meanwhile, the district administration has instituted an enquiry and instructed the sub-divisional officer to probe the cause of the mass food poisoning in the world's largest river island, Jorhat district Deputy Commissioner Solanki Vishal Basant said.

Source: PTI