Several people in Karnataka's Bengaluru Rural District developed illness after allegedly consuming "prasad" served during the Ram Navami celebrations on Sunday. The incident was reported in Bettanhallu village in Devanahalli taluk of the district, wherein hundreds gathered for the annual Ram Navami celebrations. As per the officials, the devotees started experiencing symptoms in the wee hours of the day, soon after consuming the anna prasada.

Reports suggested that at least 200 people were admitted to nearby hospitals. Some of them were said to be in a serious condition; subsequently, they were taken for medical assistance in an ambulance. According to a News18 report, at least 400 people fell ill after consuming the food.

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The locals claimed that revenue and taluk officials did not immediately visit the village after the incident. It was only after the health department teams visited the area and met the affected people's families.

Later, District Health Officer Lakka Krishnareddy visited hospitals to review the conditions of the patients. He said patients began reporting symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and extreme fatigue around 10 pm after eating the prasada.

Food Samples Sent For Test

Following this, health teams, including ASHA workers and Rapid Response Team (RRT) members, were deployed to the village. The teams were carrying out door-to-door checks to identify more cases and ensure timely medical assistance.

Additionally, authorities have collected samples of the food served during the celebrations as well as the water used in its preparation. These samples have been sent for laboratory testing. Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the suspected food contamination.

Similar Incident

A few days ago, in a similar case, around 120 people, including 40 children and women, fell ill after consuming prasad that allegedly had a dead snake in it during a religious event at a temple in Odisha’s Nuagaon village under Pattamundai police limits on Wednesday night, The New Indian Express reported.

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The incident was reported after some devotees, eating the prasad made of rice and dalma, noticed a dead snake in the food and panicked. The meal had been prepared by villagers for about 400 people as part of a ‘Bhagabata Katha’ program at the local temple. Locals believe the snake may have accidentally fallen into the cooking vessel and gone unnoticed, the report said.