118 diamond workers take ill after drinking water from cooler in unit

Surat: A major health scare was witnessed in a diamond cutting and polishing unit after 118 employees fell ill on Tuesday, reportedly after consuming water from a cooler that was later found to contain a pouch of aluminium phosphide, a toxic substance commonly used as a pesticide and rodenticide.The incident took place at Anabh Gems, located in the Kapodra area, employing some 120 people.Around 12:30 pm, several workers began complaining of breathlessness and gastric discomfort. The number of affected employees swelled, prompting immediate medical attention. A total of 104 workers were admitted to Kiran Hospital, where two—Jaydip Bariya and Ravi Prajapati—were shifted to the ICU due to irregular heartbeats. Fourteen others were being treated at Diamond Hospital. Except for the two in intensive care, the condition of the remaining workers is reported to be stable.Kapodra police, who reached the site upon being alerted, called in forensic science laboratory (FSL) officials to collect water and material samples for testing.During their investigation, officers discovered a packet of Celphos—aluminium phosphide—inside the water cooler. "The powder was sealed inside a plastic pouch. Fortunately, the inner packet was intact, which may have reduced the toxic impact," a police official said. "We are scanning CCTV footage to determine if this was an act of sabotage. An FIR will be filed after receiving the FSL report and CCTV footage analysis."Dr. Mehul Pachal, medical director of Kiran Hospital, said: "Two patients were shifted to ICU as their heart rhythms were irregular. Since Celphos directly affects the cardiovascular system, we are monitoring them closely. All patients will remain under observation for the next 24 hours, and we will assess discharge on Thursday."Meanwhile, junior education minister Praful Panseriya, the legislator from Kamrej, rushed to Surat from Gandhinagar to review the situation. He spoke with chief minister Bhupendra Patel and health minister Rushikesh Patel to brief them on the incident.Police have not ruled out foul play and continue to investigate the possibility of a deliberate attempt to harm the workers.