Surat: A five-year-old girl died and four members of her family fell severely ill after allegedly suffering food poisoning following consumption of paneer and kaju curries bought from a restaurant in Varachha.The deceased, Arya Kalsariya, had consumed the food along with her father Ashok, mother Jyotsana and two sisters after the family brought home a parcel from Shital Restaurant on Aug 15.Varachha police are investigating the exact cause of Arya’s death and are awaiting forensic reports to determine the toxin, if any, that caused the suspected poisoning.The family had purchased the food parcel around 7.30pm on Aug 15 and ate both curries together at home around 9.15pm. In the early hours of Aug 16, Arya and her father developed symptoms and were taken to a nearby clinic run by Dr Balar. Over the next few hours, the other three family members also complained of abdominal pain and uneasiness. By the morning of Aug 17, all five had developed severe symptoms, including profuse vomiting and intense abdominal pain, following which they were rushed to Sadvichar Hospital in Varachha. Arya died while undergoing treatment, while her mother’s condition also deteriorated.The Kalsariya family, which is associated with textile job work, is originally from Amreli district.Deputy commissioner of police (zone-1) Alok Kumar told TOI that preliminary reports from a private laboratory, based on samples collected during treatment, suggested food poisoning. “However, we need to establish what kind of toxin caused the girl’s death. A forensic postmortem has been conducted and we are awaiting the viscera report to identify the toxin. We are not ruling out any possibility at this stage and are investigating the case from all angles,” he said.Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Praful Pansuriya said the restaurant had been ordered to be sealed following the incident. “After the postmortem report of the child and other technical investigations are completed, further appropriate action will be taken,” he said. Pansuriya added that the Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) had been directed to proactively inspect restaurants across the state and conduct extensive testing to ensure compliance with food-safety standards.Police seek stomach-wash samplesPolice are trying to obtain samples of the family members’ stomach wash or vomit from the treating hospital for forensic examination. Investigators said analysis of the samples could help establish whether the suspected toxin was consumed through the food or entered the victims’ bodies through another route. Police are also examining the food consumed by the family and other evidence to determine the exact cause of the poisoning and Arya’s death.
