62 fall sick after eating ‘prasad’ at religious event in UP’s Kannauj

KANNAUJ: At least 62 people allegedly fell sick after consuming ‘prasad’ during a religious ceremony held at a private residence in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district, officials said on Saturday.

The incident took place in Simuapur village, where a ‘Satyanarayan Katha’ was organised at the residence of Munna Lal Kashyap on Friday night, according to news agency PTI.

The ‘prasad’, which included ‘panchamrit’ and ‘panjiri’, was distributed among devotees attending the ceremony.

Soon after consuming the ‘prasad’, several people began complaining of health issues during the night. Family members initially took them to nearby private practitioners, but as their condition worsened, all of them were shifted to the district hospital, officials said.

Dr Akanksha at the district hospital said that 62 patients had arrived by 10.30 pm. Among them, 14 patients whose condition was critical were referred to the Medical College in Tirwa (in Kannauj district).

The remaining patients are currently undergoing treatment involving IV drips and medications. The condition of most patients is reported to be stable, officials said.

After receiving information about the incident, District Magistrate Ashutosh Mohan Agnihotri, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Swadesh Gupta, and Additional Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar reached the district hospital to review the situation.

The officials enquired about the condition of the patients and directed hospital staff to ensure proper medical treatment and care.