Mass food poisoning from consuming contaminated meat shawarma led to the death of a 16-year-old girl in Kasaragod, Kerala, and 52 were hospitalized. Those affected had stale meat from Ideal Coolbar at Cheruvathoor bus stand. Eight victims are in intensive care units, and the condition of another young girl is serious. Doctors said that she is suffering from cardiac seizures.
The young victim was identified as Devananda, daughter of Naryanana and Prasanna of Karivalloor in Kannur. She and her friends had eaten chicken shawarma from the restaurant on Friday. Victims suffered from fever, diarrhea, and vomiting and were admitted to the hospital. Doctors tried their best but could not save the young girl.
Chandera police arrested Anas, a managing partner of Ideal Coolbar at Cheruvathoor bus stand, and a migrant cook named Sandesh Roy from Nepal. Another owner is in a gulf country, and it is unknown whether he absconded now or was living there before the incident happened.
Such eateries have a history of selling old meat, especially to non-Muslims. Angry locals ensured that such criminals did not continue selling compromised merchandise and pelted stones at the restaurant. They burnt a delivery truck owned by Ideal Food Point, and Chandera police shifted the vehicle to the station premises.
It is not the first time killer shawarmas have taken lives in Kerala. This incident gained public attention since it was mass poisoning. Others vanish into oblivion, no questions asked. It is well known that Hindus are sold old contaminated meat.
The Kerala Health department tried to pass the buck and said that the restaurant inside a busy bus station did not have the proper paperwork to sell cooked food. Three positions remain vacant out of an allocated five food inspectors for Kasargode. After receiving the report about the incident, the health department carried out an inspection and confirmed that the girl died of food poisoning. They closed the restaurant and started an investigation.
Kasaragod district medical officer (DMO) asked people who had food from the eatery to seek treatment if they face any health issues. DMO A V Ramdas asked the doctors and medical staff from other nearby hospitals to be present at the Cheruvathur public health center and Neeleswaram Taluk hospitals. Those with serious conditions were shifted to the district hospital while the serious patients were shifted to private hospitals.
(Featured Image Source: Mathrubhumi)
