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Bhopal/Sehore, March 26: A significant food poisoning incident has been reported in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district, where more than 80 individuals fell ill after attending a wedding feast, according to officials on Thursday.

The wedding celebration in Babadiya Noabad village, located in Ichhawar tehsil, turned tragic on Wednesday evening when the food served to guests was suspected to have caused widespread illness.

Approximately 80 attendees experienced symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal pain shortly after consuming the meal, which was served to around 150-200 guests. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as more guests began to show signs of distress.

By Wednesday night, the Ichhawar Community Health Centre was inundated with patients. Medical staff, including doctors and nurses, were urgently summoned, and two wards were designated for food poisoning cases. However, the influx of patients exceeded available beds, leading to some receiving treatment on stretchers or in hallways.

Dr. Sudhir Dehariya, Chief Medical Health Officer of Sehore, confirmed that 80 individuals were admitted with symptoms related to contaminated food. He assured that most patients would be discharged by Thursday evening and denied any reports of critical cases.

Concerns have been raised regarding the elderly, who appeared to suffer more severe symptoms. Villagers suspect that the quality of the food, particularly Gulab Jamuns made from Mawa (condensed milk solids), may have been the cause of the outbreak.

Many guests reported that their symptoms worsened after consuming these sweets, leading to suspicions of either adulterated or expired Mawa being used in their preparation.

Such food poisoning incidents are often linked to inadequate hygiene practices, poor-quality ingredients, or improper food storage during large gatherings.

In response to the outbreak, teams from the Health and Food Departments quickly arrived at the scene. Dr. Dehariya stated, “We have collected samples of the suspected food items and sent them to a laboratory for analysis. The precise cause—whether due to bacterial contamination, chemical adulteration, or expired ingredients—will be determined once the test results are available.”