Dehradun: Over 100 Fall Ill After Eating Food Made From Adulterated 'Kuttu Atta' During Navratri; 22 Shops Sealed

Over 100 people fell ill allegedly after eating food made from "adulterated" Kuttu Atta (buckwheat flour) in Uttarakhand's Dehradun, prompting authorities to seal 22 shops, officials said on Monday. According to officials, most of the affected people purchased flour from these shops for Navratri and later fell ill after consuming food made from it. They complained of vomiting, dehydration, dizziness, and abdominal pain and had to be taken to the hospital.

Upon receiving this information, police teams were sent to hospitals where the affected people were admitted.

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"This morning, we received information from hospitals that several patients had come with complaints of dehydration, dizziness, abdominal pain, and vomiting. Later, it was found that over a hundred people were affected. Many of them were found to have eaten food prepared using adulterated Kuttu Atta and subsequently developed symptoms," Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajai Singh told ANI.

"During preliminary inquiry, it was found that the flour was purchased from different shops. The entire team was alerted, and police, along with the administration, visited the shops from where the flour was bought and seized the remaining stock," the SSP said. He added that around 22 shops linked to affected people were sealed. Samples have also been collected and sent for testing.

Officials said that the adulterated flour was supplied to Dehradun from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered strict action against those responsible for supplying the flour.

According to officials, the Kuttu Atta was supplied by a flour mill in Saharanpur, and authorities are in the process of taking action against its owner and others involved in the distribution.

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"The police team has reached Saharanpur. We are coordinating with the district administration and Saharanpur police," officials said, adding that further action will be taken against the mill owner, the shops, and those involved in supplying the flour.