Surat, August 18: A family of five fell ill after consuming food from a restaurant in the Varachha area of Surat, resulting in the tragic death of a five-year-old girl. Following an investigation that revealed improperly stored and contaminated food, health authorities have shut down the restaurant.
The family, residing in the Runjadharam Society, ordered Punjabi cuisine, including a cashew-paneer dish, from Sheetal Restaurant on the evening of August 15.
Within hours, family members began experiencing severe symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. According to Ashok Kalsaria’s cousin, Bhaveshbhai Kalsaria, the first symptoms appeared around 4 AM on August 16, affecting Ashok and one of his daughters.
“They were taken to a local clinic, where they received medication around 9 AM, but their condition did not improve,” Bhaveshbhai reported. Later that day, as the other family members’ health deteriorated, all five were taken to Sadvichar Hospital in Punagam for treatment.
The five-year-old girl, identified as Arya, tragically passed away in the hospital’s emergency department on the night of August 17, shortly after arrival. Family members stated that she died within 15 to 20 minutes of reaching the hospital.
Ashok, his wife, and their two other daughters are currently receiving treatment. Medical examinations of the remaining four family members confirmed food poisoning. However, the exact cause of the girl’s death has yet to be determined. The police have registered an accidental death case and sent the girl’s body for post-mortem at SMIMER Hospital.
A panel has been ordered for the post-mortem, which is expected to help ascertain whether food poisoning was the cause of death.
In response to the incident, Gujarat’s Health Minister, Prabhul Panseriya, reached out to the affected family to express his condolences. He also held a video conference with Surat district health officer Dr. Anil Patel and Surat Municipal Corporation officials to gather information about the incident and the condition of the four patients.
Panseriya instructed health officials to ensure that the affected family members receive appropriate treatment and that their condition is monitored closely. He also directed officials to take necessary actions based on the post-mortem report and to proceed against Sheetal Restaurant if found guilty, including potentially sealing the establishment.
The health minister emphasized the importance of maintaining cleanliness, hygiene, and food safety regulations across all restaurants in Gujarat. He stated, “There should be no negligence regarding cleanliness and patient safety in hospitals.”
Meanwhile, following complaints of food poisoning, a health department team inspected Sheetal Restaurant. An official reported that they discovered spoiled food and uncovered vegetables during the inspection.
“Our team arrived on Tuesday morning after receiving complaints of food poisoning. We conducted an inspection and ordered the destruction of all spoiled food items. After learning about the death of a girl, we shut down the entire restaurant,” the official stated.
The inspection revealed that items like chana dal were found spoiled, while some vegetables were slightly rotten and left uncovered. Paneer was also found exposed.
During the inspection, all contaminated food items were disposed of. The official noted that the restaurant had purchased vegetables and other supplies on August 15, which led to the food poisoning incident. Appropriate action will be taken against the restaurant owner under the Food Safety Act.
The official also mentioned that previous samples taken from this establishment had passed quality tests.
The family is demanding a fair investigation and has urged police and health officials to examine the food supplied by the restaurant and other available evidence before assigning responsibility.
The investigation and post-mortem report will clarify whether the restaurant’s contaminated food caused the illness and the girl’s unfortunate death.
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