Several hospitalised after eating shawarma in Tamil Nadu; 14-year-old dies

Chennai: After allegedly consuming shawarma and other foods from a restaurant over the weekend, a 14-year-old girl from Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district died on Monday, and 43 other people were hospitalised. 43 persons, including 12 medical college students, five children, and a pregnant woman who had eaten shawarma, fried rice, and grilled chicken at a restaurant close to Paramathi, were admitted to the hospitals in the district, according to Namakkal district Collector S Uma.

Uma said that the students who had eaten at the shop had complained of vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhoea among other symptoms and had been sent to the Government Medical College Hospital. She added they received information on Monday morning that a 14-year-old girl had died.

The restaurant was raided by authorities immediately, and three men were taken into custody along with food samples. As a result of people getting sick after consuming grilled chicken, tandoori chicken, or shawarma, a food safety team also tracked the source of the chicken.

Uma said that she and representatives of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had visited the restaurant on Sunday to examine and seal it. Authorities destroyed raw materials, marinated chicken, and other things from the shop during the examination.

Officials report that 21 adults and three children have been admitted to Namakkal Government Medical College and Hospital, three to Maharaja Specialty Hospital, four to Thangam Hospital, and one to Kannagi Hospital.