Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
A community wedding ceremony held on Friday in Ambala-Thakurwadi (Kannad tehsil), turned tragic as 155 guests from three villages suffered from food poisoning after the feast. A 7-year-old child, Suresh Gulab Madhe (from Mahadev Khora village), died during treatment, and 17 others are in critical condition, currently undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Meanwhile, 45 persons are undergoing treatment in the Karanjkhed Primary Health Centre (PHC).
The wedding of Ajay Pandurang Pokale, held as part of the tribal Thakar community's collective marriage programme, saw participation from relatives in Shipghat-Thakurwadi, Mahadev Khora, and Dhamandoh villages. After the ceremony, guests consumed a meal consisting of rice, matki (moth beans), potato curry, and boondi. Later that late evening, many returned home only to experience sudden symptoms of vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhoea.
Karanjkhed’s former deputy sarpanch Harshvardhan Nikam and Bundha Mengal arranged for private transport to rush all 155 affected individuals to government and private hospitals in Karanjkhed and Nagapur. Suresh Madhe succumbed during treatment at Karanjkhed PHC. Seventeen critically ill patients, including elderly women and children, were shifted to GMCH. District Health Officer Dr Abhay Dhanurkar, Medical Officer Dr Lahane, and Kannad Tehsil Officer Dr Yogesh Solunke visited the PHC for inspection.
Patient Numbers Rising
The poisoning appears to have originated from the meal served at the Ambala-Thakurwadi wedding, which involved eight couples and attracted guests from various nearby villages. Though 155 have already been treated, officials believe the actual number could be higher, as more patients have reportedly been admitted to health centres across Kannad Tehsil. Social media has been circulating updates and speculation regarding the exact cause of the contamination.