Jalandhar DC orders probe into food poisoning case

District magistrate Shruti Singh has directed sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Iqbal Singh Sandhu, civil surgeon Dr RL Bassan and general manager district industries centre to conduct a report into the food poisoning case at a local factory, Chinar Forge Limited, on Thursday afternoon and submit a report as soon as possible.

District magistrate Shruti Singh has directed sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Iqbal Singh Sandhu, civil surgeon Dr RL Bassan and general manager district industries centre to conduct a report into the food poisoning case at a local factory, Chinar Forge Limited, on Thursday afternoon and submit a report as soon as possible.

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Three people had died and dozens hospitalised after eating lunch at the industrial establishment. Several people are still hospitalised.

The civil surgeon said that two people admitted to the Kidney Hospital were in a critical condition and that some food samples had also been sent to a forensic lab.

“It will take time for the reports to come. There could be many reasons for the poisoning. Either a lizard would have fallen in the food while cooking, or the flour could have been infected. There could also be a possibility that sulphur tablets used to preserve flour from insects were grinded with the lot used to cook the chapattis,” he said.

On the issue of compensation for those dead and the injured, labour commissioner Sukhjinder Singh said that money from Punjab Labour Welfare Board will be given after the inquiry.

Factory supervisor Davinder Sharma and cook Nirmal Rani died on Thursday night, while worker Roshan Kumar died due to food poisoning on Friday.

Food supply contractor Rajvir Singh Dhillon and his three employee, the cooks Pradeep Kumar, Rohit Sharma and Karan were arrested and have been remanded to police custody for one more day and will be produced again before