Mathura 2016.05.06 (VT): Two children and one helper died after drinking milk served during the midday meal program of Akshay Patra at a primary school in D I E T Ground. Apart from that, 127 children have been admitted to various hospitals. After the incident, the Health Department has started investigation as guided by the DM.
Kirti (4 years) daughter of Puran Singh, Jishan (5 years) son of Zafar Ali, and Anganbaadi helper Ms. Usha Devi (45 years) are the deceased. All three of them belong to Kanshiram colony. Apart from them, other children also belong to the same colony.
According to our sources, Akshay Patra distributed Amul milk packets during the midday meal on Wednesday. The students of nearby Anganbaari center also took the milk along with the students of the primary school. Parents recounted that children started feeling sick the evening after after they drank the milk, and were taken to nearby hospitals. Jishan and Kirti died later the same night in the hospital. Anganbari helper Usha Devi also died in the hospital during the treatment.
DM Rajesh Kumar reached the colony on Thursday morning after receiving the information and sent the ill kids to Kanshiram hospital for treatment. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) stated that 127 children are being treated at City Hospital, Swarn Jayanti Hospital, Nayati Hospital and other hospitals around the city. Affected people also include around a dozen of the schoolchildren’s family members .
Interim reports have indicated that there was poison in the milk. Purchase manager of Akshay Patra Rajesh Mandal and PRO Kamla Yogi informed that 65,000 students were given milk on Wednesday at different primary school in Mathura. These milk packets were procured from the Walmart at Agra. A Walmart spokesman said that they have raised the issue with their suppliers as Walmart takes extra precaution with regard to food safety and quality.
Milk Samples collected from Akshay Patra
The death of two children and one Anganbaari helper after drinking the poisoned milk has increased the problems for Akshay Patra as well as for the Food Department. Police Inspector Uday Pratap Singh and Chief Food Safety Officer V.K. Rathi collected samples of the milk sachets that had been distributed at various centers. Amul claims that the milk is drinkable even after 90 days of packaging.
DM Rajesh Kumar ordered a probe into the issue. He also said that the water supply in the colony is also to be checked for the poison level in water, as this might also be a contributing factor.
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