Title - FOOD POISONING Dozens ill after Rajdhani dinner

Several passengers travelling on the 12240 Ranchi Rajdhani from the capital complained of mild to severe food poisoning on Friday night. Passengers travelling on at least four coaches of the train, H-1 from AC 1 class, A-1 and A-2 of the second AC class and B-7 of the third AC class complained of stomach pain after consuming their dinner.

    Sources said that most of the passengers who had the vegetarian thali complained of sickness suggesting that the paneer served at night could have been of inferior quality or under-cooked. At least eight passengers had to be administered saline, claimed passengers.

    Among those who reported sick was Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Kameshwar Baitha. He represents Palamu in Parliament. “I started vomiting and felt as if my limbs were not working,” the MP later told TOI. “I was administered at least eight bottles of saline and fine now,” he said.

    The dinner comprising rice, bread, mixed vegetable and paneer, soup and ice cream for vegetarian passengers was served just before the train reached Kanpur Central around 9.30 pm.

    Passengers began complaining soon after forcing the train to stop for over an hour at the Mughalsarai junction. While six railway doctors attended to passengers at Mughalsarai, it was Western Railway doctor, Dr S Dayal, who provided on board relief to the affected passengers in the intervening hours between Kanpur and Mughalsarai. The SOS for immediate medical help was flashed as soon as the train reached Mughalsarai around 1.40 am.