Sehore
According to officials, the incident unfolded when guests who attended the wedding feast began experiencing severe symptoms shortly after consuming the food.
Eyewitnesses reported that more than 150 to 200 people had eaten at the event, and many started complaining of vomiting, diarrhoea, and intense abdominal pain within hours.
What initially appeared to be isolated cases rapidly escalated into a large-scale health crisis, as dozens of attendees showed similar symptoms. The sudden surge of patients created chaos in the village, with families rushing their loved ones to nearby medical facilities.
The Ichhawar Community Health Centre soon became overwhelmed as the number of affected individuals rose sharply. Medical staff worked through the night to manage the situation, setting up two dedicated wards for food poisoning cases. However, due to the high influx of patients, many had to be treated on stretchers and in hospital corridors.
Dr Sudhir Dehariya, Chief Medical Health Officer of Sehore, confirmed that around 80 people were admitted and treated for symptoms linked to food poisoning. He stated that most patients were stable and likely to be discharged by Thursday evening, while dismissing reports of any critical cases.
Preliminary suspicion among villagers points to contaminated food served during the feast, particularly sweets such as Gulab Jamun made from Mawa. Several attendees claimed their symptoms worsened after consuming the dessert, raising concerns about the use of adulterated or spoiled ingredients.
Health and Food Department teams have collected samples of the suspected food items for laboratory analysis. Officials said the exact cause of the outbreak—whether bacterial contamination, poor hygiene, or adulteration—will be determined only after test results are available.
The incident has once again highlighted the importance of strict food safety practices, especially during large gatherings in rural areas.