A 16-year-old girl died and 18 others were hospitalised on Sunday due to suspected food poisoning after they ate Shawarma at an eatery in Kasaragod.Devananda, a resident of Karivallor near here, died at the Kanhangad district hospital, while undergoing treatment, police said.Eighteen school students were admitted to the district hospital after they fell sick, but none of them are said to be in a serious condition."We are expecting more cases and have asked doctors and staff from other nearby medical institutions to be present at the Cheruvathur PHC and Neeleswaram Taluk hospitals. We plan to treat people with mild issues there and those with serious conditions will be shifted to the district hospital," District Medical Officer, AV Ramdas, told the media. Ramdas informed that the children had eaten the popular Arabic street food chicken shawarma from 'Ideal Cool Bar' between April 29 to 30. Those hospitalised were between 10 to 15 years of age. The children came to Cheruvathur Community Health Centre suffering from similar symptoms of vomiting, low blood pressure, crippling stomach pain, and loose motion. After the students, 15 other customers were admitted to the hospital after having consumed shawarma from the same eatery.
Meanwhile, Minister MV Govindan visited the students undergoing treatment at the hospital and said the state government will ensure that quality food is served in hotels across the state. "The government will conduct inspections across the state to ensure that the food served at restaurants is of good quality," the minister said. The food joint was shut down immediately after having learned that it was functioning without a food safety license. The owner of the Arabic food parlour, Ahmed has absconded. However, local police nabbed two of the workers from the food joint. The accused are facing charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC, attempting to commit culpable homicide under section 308 of the IPC, selling adulterated food products, and committing a crime with common intention. District Collector Bhandari Swagat Ranveerchand has ordered an official inspection of all shawarma joints in the area. According to sources, the juice shop was situated near a Tuition centre.