More than 50 people fell ill and had to be hospitalised after partaking of a wedding feast in Kochi on Sunday. The police registered a case and arrested the owner of the catering service. The health squad also went to the place and examined the food.
Health official P.N. Sreenivasan said that the stale chicken curry could have been the reason for the food poisoning. “The guests who ate non-vegetarian food were the ones most affected,” he said.
“Preliminary investigations show that the caterers were at fault. So we have sealed their office,” Mr Sreenivasan said.
According to reports, the catering service, Mythri, does not have a valid licence. The health squad also collected samples of the food served and a detailed examination will be held later.
The wedding reception was held on Sunday evening. A majority of people who fell ill were from Koratty and they had come from the groom’s side. They were admitted to different hospitals in Ernakulam and Thrissur. A few people from Vadavukodu, who fell ill, were admitted to the Vadavukodu primary health centre.
A team deputed by Thrissur District Medical officer, Dr V.V. Venus has also begun a probe into the case. The team met the victims on Monday morning. The DMO said that though the victims were still weak, their condition was not critical.
“As the incident took place in Ernakulam, any action regarding the issue should be taken by the health authority of Ernakulam district. However, I have sent a detailed report to the Director of Health,” she added.