Five villagers have died and several others have fallen sick within a week after allegedly consuming contaminated food served at a post-funeral feast in Dunga village, located under the Orchha development block of Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. Officials confirmed that the victims included a two-month-old infant and four adults identified as Budhari (25), Budharam (24), Lakkhe (45) and Urmila (25). According to authorities, all of them showed symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea before their deaths, which were reported between October 14 and October 20. Narayanpur Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) T. R. Kunwar said they received the first report of suspected food poisoning on October 21. He stated that the baby’s death was also linked to the same incident, raising serious concerns about the food served at the gathering.
Following directions from district collector Pratishtha Mamgai, a medical team consisting of the CMHOs from Narayanpur and Bijapur, along with the Block Medical Officer of Orchha, reached the village to provide treatment. The team conducted a health camp on October 21, examining 25 villagers, where two were found with malaria, while twenty others complained of vomiting and diarrhoea. Three more were detected with additional health issues and were given immediate medical care. A 60-year-old woman was admitted to the Bhairamgarh community health centre for further treatment. Kunwar said the team continues to camp in the village, advising residents to consume freshly prepared meals and drink boiled water to prevent further illness. Officials are monitoring the situation closely while the cause of contamination is being investigated.
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Chhattisgarh Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal says, "The deaths of these five children are deeply tragic. I will receive the full report soon and will conduct a thorough investigation. However, to prevent such incidents from recurring, at a societal level through the Health Department and public awareness initiatives, we will soon launch a new campaign."