One person died while at least 75 others, including children, were taken ill due to suspected food poisoning after having jalebis served at a religious function held in Kothe Santa Singh Wala village, near Jaito, on 5 april.The deceased has been identified as Gurjant Singh of Guru Ki Dhab village. He died on his way to a hospital.

Faridkot District Magistrate (DM) Balwinder Singh said the langar was served after the bhog of an Akhand path organised by Gurmail Singh, a panchayat member, in the village this morning. After consuming jalebis, people complained of nausea and giddiness. Some of them even fell unconscious.

As the news about the suspected food poisoning spread in nearby areas, activists of many NGOs reached the village and rushed the patients to the Seth Ramnath Civil Hospital at Jaitu and other hospitals at Kotkapura and Faridkot.

Later, many of them were taken to Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital, Faridkot. “As many as 67 persons are under treatment in this hospital. The condition of three is critical and they have been shifted to an ICU,” said the DM.

He said eight persons were under treatment at a hospital at Kotkapura and at a local hospital in Jaito. “All the 72 patients, except those in the ICU, are out of danger,” he added.

The DM, along with the SSP, also visited the hospitals to enquire about the well-being of the patients. He also asked the health authorities to collect samples of the food that was prepared and served at the function while SSP GS Randhawa has asked SP (D) Paramjit Singh Parmar to conduct a thorough inquiry into the incident.

“We have sealed a local shop from where the food items were purchased and also taken a few samples,” he added.Meanwhile, the SSP has ruled out any criminal conspiracy in the incident. “We will conduct a thorough inquiry with the help of the health authorities and register an FIR accordingly,” the SSP added.