A tragic health scare has emerged in Jharkhand’s Giridih district, where a six-year-old child died and more than 60 people reportedly fell ill after suspected food poisoning linked to pani puri.
The incident has caused panic across two panchayats, with villagers claiming that all those affected had consumed pani puri sold by the same vendor.
Child dies after condition worsens
Local leaders said the child’s health deteriorated rapidly and he was taken to Giridih Sadar Hospital, where he later died.
Officials are yet to release a final medical confirmation regarding the exact cause of death.
Dozens suffer diarrhoea symptoms
According to local reports, around 40 to 50 people from Bajto panchayat developed diarrhoea and related symptoms on the first day of the incident.
The next day, fresh cases were reported from Palmo panchayat, where nearly 20 more residents fell ill.
Several patients were admitted to Giridih Sadar Hospital, while more were being brought in for treatment.
Vendor under scrutiny
Residents alleged that all affected persons had eaten pani puri, locally known as gupchup, from the same street vendor.
Police reportedly detained the vendor briefly as part of the investigation.
Health officials are expected to inspect food samples and hygiene conditions before confirming the source of contamination.
Fresh warning on street food safety
The incident has once again highlighted the importance of food hygiene, especially during summer months when contamination risks are higher.
Authorities are likely to intensify checks on street food vendors to prevent similar incident