30 fall ill after consuming prasad in Assam

Tezpur (Assam), Sep 2: At least 30 people were taken ill after consuming prasad of soaked gram in two places of Sonitpur district. Deputy Commissioner Lalit Gogoi on Tuesday said a special medical team has been engaged to treat the affected persons -- 15 each in Dhekiajuli and Tezpur.

Complaining of nausea, diarrhoea and fever, 15 people fell ill after they had prasad at a person's residence in the Ward No. 3 of Dhekiajuli town on Saturday.

When their condition deteriorated today, five of them were admitted to the Public Health Centre and the rest to the Christian Mission Hospital in Tezpur, said District Surveillance Officer Dr Durlav Saikia in charge of the medical team treating the affected persons.

In another similar food poisoning incident at Cotton Road in Tezpur on the same day, another 15 persons became ill after having prasad in the residence of a person. Seven of them were taken to the Government-run Kanaklata Civil Hospital, Saikia said, adding, the patients were now out of danger.

The medical team headed by Saikia today visited Dhekiajuli's affected area and distributed medicines to the ill people there. Saikia said he also collected the food sample and sent it to the forensic laboratory for investigation.

PTI