Food poisoning: Two caterers, pesticide firm official booked in Nashik

NASHIK: A day after a farmer died due to suspected food poisoning and nearly 69 others fell ill, the police here has registered offences against two caterers and an official of a pesticide producing company where the victims had a meal, an official said today.

After eating the food served yesterday at Umarale village in Nashik district, where the private company had organised a seminar on tomato crops, at least 70 farmers had complained of vomiting and giddiness.

They were taken to different hospitals for treatment, Nashik’s civil surgeon Suresh Jagadale said last night.

Later, one of them, Atul Kedar (41), died, he said, adding the exact cause of his death was yet to be ascertained.

Samples of the food served to the farmers were sent for examination, Jagadale had said.

Following the incident, the Dindori rural police in Nashik late last night registered offences against the two caterers and the regional crop manager of the pesticide producing company under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), Dindori police station incharge Rajesh Shirsath said.

An investigation was on into the incident, he added.

Meanwhile, the health of farmers, who were admitted to Nashik Civil Hospital, a rural hospital in Dindori taluka and three private hospitals in the city, was improving, police said.

PTI