34 people fall ill in suspected food poisoning case after eating pizza in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi
At least 34 people, including several children, were taken ill in a suspected food poisoning incident after allegedly consuming pizza from a food outlet in
At least 34 people, including several children, were taken ill in a suspected food poisoning incident after allegedly consuming pizza from a food outlet in Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra’s Thane district, police said on Friday. The incident came to light on Thursday when multiple patients started arriving at a government hospital with symptoms linked to foodborne illness. According to police, the affected individuals began reporting complaints such as stomach pain, dizziness, nausea and loose motions. Hospital authorities noticed a steady influx of patients from around 6 pm onwards and alerted the concerned agencies. Also Read | No more rusted blades: FSSAI cracks down on unsafe cutting tools in kitchens "The flow of affected persons continued till today morning. A total of 34 patients were admitted and all are out of danger," a police official said. Preliminary investigations revealed that all those who fell sick had eaten a shawarma pizza from the same food outlet on Wednesday night.
Symptoms reportedly began appearing from Thursday afternoon, prompting many of them to seek medical attention. Following the incident, police registered a case against the owner of the food establishment under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the suspected food poisoning and whether any food safety norms were violated. Officials said samples of the food item consumed by the affected individuals have been collected and sent for laboratory testing. The results are expected to help establish whether contamination or improper food handling led to the illnesses. Authorities are continuing their probe while monitoring the health condition of those affected by the incident. Hyderabad food safety raid uncovers illegal fast-food unit, 110 kg adulterated stock seized In a significant operation against food adulteration, Hyderabad Police’s H-FAST (Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team), in coordination with a Food Safety Officer, raided an illegal fast-food storage and preparation unit in the Charminar area and seized around 110 kg of adulterated food products.
The surprise inspection was carried out at Al Akbar Fast Food and Godown in New Laad Bazar’s Panch Mohalla locality, which falls under the jurisdiction of Hussainialam Police Station. The raid was launched following specific intelligence inputs regarding suspected food safety violations at the premises. During the inspection, officials discovered that food items were being prepared, stored and handled in extremely unhygienic conditions, raising serious concerns about consumer safety and public health. Investigators found that the establishment was operating without the mandatory licence issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Authorities also alleged that the operators were using banned artificial food colouring agents, including MSK Lion Green and Raspberry Red, in food preparation. Further examination revealed several other violations, including the repeated use of stale cooking oil, the absence of water quality certification, inadequate pest-control measures and poor sanitation standards throughout the facility. As part of the enforcement action, officials seized approximately 110 kg of prepared fried chicken, six containers of loose cooking oil containing 15 litres each, and several packets of artificial chemical food colours suspected to have been used in food processing.
