New Delhi, Apr 6: A 58-year-old MCD employee, who was among around 250 people admitted in various city hospitals after consuming articles made of contaminated buck wheat died here today even as police arrested 11 shopkeepers for allegedly selling the stuff.
A total of 14 cases were registered in east and north-east districts in connection with the incident which was reported yesterday from M S Park, Welcome, Nand Nagri, Jyoti Nagar (North-East Delhi), Krishna Nagar, Farsh Bazar, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Mandawli, Kalyanpuri and Mayur Vihar. Prabu Lal, a resident of Trilokpuri, who was admitted with the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in east Delhi after he complained of diarrhoea and dizziness died today morning, police said. A case was registered in this regard.
However, Additional Medical Superintendent of LBS Hospital Dr Amita Saxena, said the death of Lal, who worked with the MCD, was not due to consumption of buck wheat. “He was admitted with complaints of dizziness and uncontrollable blood pressure. He had been undergoing treatment for heart disease and hypertension. He died because of uncontrolled BP,” she said, adding that the death was not related to consumption of buck wheat.
A senior police official said they have arrested 11 shopkeepers in North-East Delhi where four cases were registered.
Ten cases have been registered in East Delhi but no one was arrested there so far. “We are in the process of arresting some people involved in the incident,” the official said.
The arrested persons have been identified as Bajranglal Jain, Tarun Kumar, Azad Nagar, Lokesh Singh, Haridutt Sharma (MS Park), Vishnu Garg, Satya Narayan (Welcome), Ankur, Utkarsh, Nand Kishore, Raj Kumar (Nandnagri) and Jagannath (Jyoti Nagar).
In east Delhi, three cases have been registered in Krishna Nagar, two in Shakarpur and one each in Farsh Bazar, Madhu Vihar, Mandawli, Kalyanpuri and Mayur Vihar. It all started at 7 am yesterday when patients complaining of vomiting, stomach ache, diarrhea, and dizziness started pouring in at different hospitals including Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and Dr Hedgewar Hospital.
“Nandu Masala Mill in Mandoli is found to be the manufacturer of the kuttu flour (buck wheat) consumed by the victims. Raids are being conducted,” the official said.
Kishore (45), the millowner, was arrested and a case under section 272 (sale of noxious food or drink), 273 (punishment regarding sale of noxious food or drink) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) has been registered against him. PTI
