Over 500 people who had eaten food prepared with buckwheat (kuttu) flour had fallen ill in Delhi’s East and South districts. Police said that prima facie, it appears to be a case of food adulteration or sale of spoiled flour.

“Around 526 people were reportedly admitted to hospitals in East district. They complained of uneasiness, stomach ache and vomiting after they ate food prepared using 'kuttu' flour to break their ‘Navratri’ fast on Tuesday, a senior East Delhi district official said.

“We visited the area and Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, where many such people were admitted. All of them except four-five people have been discharged,” he said.

Reports of people falling ill were received from Kalyanpuri, Trilokpuri and other areas. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of food adulteration or sale of spoiled ‘kuttu’ flour during ‘Navratri’, another official said.

“A case under sections 273 (sale of noxious food or drink), 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Kalyanpuri police station against the proprietor of Bunty General Store,” said Deepak Yadav, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), East district.

In a similar incident, on Wednesday morning, police received information of food poisoning from ward number 2, Mehrauli where six members of a family got admitted in Fortis hospital after eating ‘Kuttu ka Aata’ during fast, police said.