One person died and at least 30 other persons fell ill after consuming Prasad in Tripura on Sunday. The incident occurred at Arun Nath’s residence in Ward No. 4 of Dewan Pasha Gram Panchayat, Dharmanagar subdivision, North Tripura district.
According to local sources, Arun Nath invited relatives and neighbors to his home to celebrate the establishment of a Shiva temple on July 11. Following the ritual, guests partook in prasad before returning to their homes. However, by Thursday night and continuing into Friday morning, many attendees began to experience severe physical discomfort.
Symptoms reported included diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and headaches. The afflicted were quickly rushed to various local hospitals for treatment. Tragically, Shalindra Debnath (59) succumbed to his illness at a private nursing home in Dharmanagar’s Shakaibari area on Saturday night around 10 pm. Shalindra was a resident of the Dewan Pasha area.
In response to the incident, officials from the Food Safety Department visited Arun Nath’s residence on Sunday. They recovered packets of various spices from the scene. According to the officials, nothing significant was found there, except for the spice packets, including Panch Phoron, which are currently being tested.
Anik Debnath, the son of the deceased, along with other affected individuals, Sudarshan Nath and Ashutosh Nath, reported that they began feeling ill after consuming both prasad and the khichuri offered during the ceremony. They suspected that the prasad was contaminated, leading to food poisoning.
The tragic incident sparked Public outrage against the Food Safety Department, with many criticizing the agency for its apparent lack of field inspections. People alleged, expired and unbranded food items are rampant in local markets. The local people of the area are demanding accountability for the death caused by suspected food poisoning.
The incident has raised critical questions about food safety standards and enforcement in the region. The Food Safety Department and the subdivision administration are under pressure to conduct a thorough investigation and address the concerns raised by the community.