Two more children have died due to suspected food poisoning at Indore’s Shri Yugpurush Dham Baudhik Vikas Kendra, bringing the death toll to five, authorities reported on Wednesday. The number of children being treated for food poisoning symptoms has risen to 38, with four in critical condition, according to district collector Asheesh Singh.
All the affected children are receiving treatment at Government Chacha Nehru Hospital, with four in the Intensive Care Unit. The latest fatalities were reported on Tuesday, following two deaths on July 1 and two on June 30.
Collector Asheesh Singh stated, “A total of 38 children are undergoing treatment, with four in the ICU. We will monitor the ashram closely for the next 48 hours and admit any child showing symptoms to the hospital. Samples collected from the site are being examined, and results are expected today. We hope to determine the cause of the incident soon.”
An investigation committee has been established to probe the matter. Singh added that an initial assessment suggested the first child who died on June 30 may not have succumbed to the infection, though the postmortem report is still awaited. State Ministers Kailash Vijayvargiya and Tulsi Silavat visited the children in the hospital on Tuesday night.
Vijayvargiya informed the media, “All the children in the ashram are mentally underdeveloped and handicapped. This ashram houses children from across Madhya Pradesh and is the only institution of its kind, doing commendable work. However, the cause of this incident is under investigation. Most of the children suffer from diarrhea, which is common in this season. Water and food samples have been collected.”
“The Chief Minister has sent me and Tulsi Silawat to oversee the situation. We have instructed the Collector and Commissioner to develop a comprehensive master plan for the institution to improve living standards and food quality, ensuring such incidents do not recur,” he added. The ashram, operated by an NGO, houses around 200 children with disabilities and orphans, aged between five and 15 years.