100 wedding guests hospitalised after eating gajar ka halwa at Palghar

Interestingly, the host is a caterer by profession, and his catering staff had prepared the wedding feast.

Around 100 guests have fallen ill after consuming carrot halwa at a wedding on Sunday afternoon in Palghar. They were admitted to various government hospitals on Sunday, after displaying the symptoms of food poisoning — vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhoea.

Around 100 guests have fallen ill after consuming carrot halwa at a wedding on Sunday afternoon. (HT Photo)

Dr Dinkar Gavit, chief medical officer, RH said, “All the patients are responding well to the treatment. We have taken the food samples and will send them to the government lab at Thane, to ascertain the exact cause of poisoning. Among those admitted, two are children, between four and five years of age. They are out of danger.”

The bride’s father is a caterer, said police. He and his staff had prepared the wedding feast.

“Around 800 guests attended the wedding of caterer Vivek Balkrishna Vartak’s daughter in Makunsar, Palghar. During lunch, the guests were served a variety of dishes including the halwa,” said assistant police inspector (API) Siddhawa Jaybhaye of Kelwe Coastal police station.

“Around 100 guests took ill after consuming the food. They have been admitted to the Primary Health Centres (PHC) at Saphale and Mahim. Some guests have also been admitted to the Rural Hospital (RH) in Palghar,” API Jaybhaye said.

“The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will submit a report on the incident, after which an FIR will be registered,” said API Jaybhaye.

“We believe that the mawa which was purchased from Vasai was of substandard quality. We will question the Vasai supplier too,” API Jaybhaye added.