‘Only Those Who Ate After 10 PM Fell Ill’: FDA Probes Bhiwandi Food Poisoning That Sickened 124

Published 21 June 2026 · health

‘Only Those Who Ate After 10 PM Fell Ill’: FDA Probes Bhiwandi Food Poisoning That Sickened 124 Published By, Last Updated: June 21, 2026, 20:16

‘Only Those Who Ate After 10 PM Fell Ill’: FDA Probes Bhiwandi Food Poisoning That Sickened 124 Published By, Last Updated: June 21, 2026, 20:16 IST In Bhiwandi, 79 people remain in hospital after suspected food poisoning, FDA seals an eatery, probes late night servings. Patients' samples had been sent for microbiological, chemical and culture analysis to determine the exact cause of the illness. (Representative image) Days after a major food poisoning outbreak in Maharashtra’s Bhiwandi town, 79 people remain under treatment at a local hospital on Sunday after allegedly consuming snacks at a popular eatery. According to police, several customers who ate food items from a local establishment on June 17 developed stomachache and diarrhoea the next day and were rushed to hospitals. Talking to PTI, Dr Madhavi S Pandare, Medical Superintendent of the IGM Hospital, said that 124 patients had been admitted since the incident, of whom 45 had been discharged, while 79 were still under observation.

Patients’ Sample Sent For Testing “The patients are stable and out of danger. Some of them still complain of abdominal pain and loose motions. We have sufficient staff and medicines, including ORS stocks, to handle the situation. Off-duty staff were also recalled for emergency duties," Dr Pandare said. She said patient samples had been sent for microbiological, chemical and culture analysis to determine the exact cause of the illness. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a crackdown on food establishments in the area. FDA Assistant Commissioner (Bhiwandi) Santosh Shirosia said inspections were conducted at several outlets. FDA Seals Eatery For Violations “We have sealed at least one eatery for violations and taken action against another for faulty declarations. Samples from the affected shawarma outlet have been sent for laboratory analysis, and the establishment was sealed," he said.

Shirosia noted an unusual pattern in the incident. “The outlet operates from 4 pm to 2 am, but it was observed that only those who consumed shawarma after 10 pm fell ill. It is too early to pinpoint exactly what went wrong. We are also examining the preparation process of the dish," he said. Local MLA Rais Shaikh termed inadequate regulation of food outlets a serious concern and called for raids on warehouses allegedly storing expired food items. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers,...