On Tuesday (16th July) night, a Muharram procession was taken out in Rajasthan’s Banswara, during which, over 400 people started vomiting and having diarrhoea after drinking sharbat. Initially, three children were admitted to the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital.
Following this, between 12 p.m. and 1 am, most of the patients who developed food poisoning were taken to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital. It has been reported that several participants of the Muharram procession broke the locks of a city dispensary just 250 meters from the spot and took out ORS and other medicines.
Later, three doctors arrived at the dispensary and initiated proper medical treatment of around 105 affected people. CMHO Doctor Hiralal Tabiyat said over 400 people reached Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, with approximately 100 still admitted.
After receiving information about the incident, several district administration officials reached the hospital.
Meanwhile, orders have been issued to investigate the incident. The CMHO stated that they had also requested samples and will have them tested. Shoaib Khan, the head of Anjuman Islamia, stated that the event occurred at around midnight. During the Muharram procession, some of the community members had set up a stall, and after drinking Sharbat from there, around 400 people including women and children fell ill.
