Four children die of food poisoning in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Nov 21 (IANS) Four minor children of a family died after consuming a maize preparation in Banaskantha village of Gujarat Friday.

'Six children, belonging to an Adivasi family, were taken ill after taking ghes, the maize preparation. No sooner they started vomiting and developed problem in breathing. They were rushed to the Palanpur Civil Hospital where four died,' Chief District Health Officer (CDHO) Banaskantha K.S. Patel said.

The deaths were caused by death poisoning, the doctors said. The children were identified as Sahiba Babulal Damor, 7, Kaliben Babulal Damor, 4, Pankhaben Babulal Damor, 5.

Patel said the condition of other two girls is critical.

The family belongs to a small village Jaba in Amirgadh taluka, about 190 km from here.

On Thursday, some 300 people fell ill after eating fruit salad at a marriage party at Kansarakui village, some 100 km from here in Mehsana district. But there were no casualties and most of the people were discharged from hospitals after first aid.