Hyderabad: Woman dies, 20 fall ill after eating momos at Nandi Nagar food stall

Hyderabad: In a shocking incident, a woman died and 20 others fell ill due to food poisoning after eating momos at a roadside food stall named 'Delhi Hot Momos' in Nandi Nagar, Banjara Hills.

The deceased was identified as Reshma Begum (31), a resident of Singadikunta. She is survived by three children. After Reshma Begum’s condition turned critical, she was shifted to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), where she succumbed.

Meanwhile, others who fell ill after eating momos last Friday developed vomits and motions on Saturday and approached different hospitals in Banjara Hills.

All of them filed a complaint with the Banjara Hills police on Monday. The kin of the victims are claiming that their health condition is still critical. They also alleged that similar food poisoning incidents were reported at Singadikunta and Gowrishankar Colony.

Momo stand put up at Friday vegetable market

A complainant, Jakati Anjaneyulu, said that every Friday, a vegetable market is set up at Nandi Nagar, Road No 14, Banjara Hills. On October 25, his daughters Shivani and Swetha, and Swetha’s husband Antony went to the vegetable market to eat momos.

“After eating, they returned home. However, soon my elder daughter Shivani began to experience stomach pain and within no time Swetha and Antony also began to suffer from pain and vomiting. Immediately, we shifted Shivani, Swetha and Antony to Apollo Hospital in Film Nagar for treatment,” Anjaneyulu said.

The complainant said that after examination the doctors confirmed that it was food poisoning, which resulted in stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. All of them underwent treatment. Later, Anjaneyalu’s daughters and son-in-law told him they had eaten momos at a food stall named Delhi Hot Momos at Nandi Nagar.

While Anjaneyulu was enquiring at Nandi Nagar about the food stall, he came across B Prabakar, a resident of Nandi Nagar, who informed him that his wife Lavanya and son Rithwik were also admitted to Welcare Hospital in Banjara Hills due to food poisoning after eating momos at Delhi Hot Momos.

Similarly, another victim, Munna Yadav, who is also a resident of Nandi Nagar, said that his sons Shyam and Vicky and his nephew Md Abrar were admitted due to food poisoning after eating momos at the same place. Similarly many came forward speaking about how someone they know got admitted for the same reason.

In his complaint, Anjaneyulu appealed to the police to initiate stern action against the vendor and owner of the food stall Delhi Hot Momos at Nandi Nagar.

The Banjara Hills police registered an FIR against the momo vendor identified as Md Rajik (19) and stall owner Md Arman (35).

The charges include sections 274 274 (Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 275 (Sale of noxious food or drink), 125(a) (Act endangering life or personal safety of others), and 3(5) (criminal acts by multiple persons in furtherance of a common intention) under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNSS), Banjara Hills sub-inspector P Ravindar said.

'Delhi Hot Momos' lack FSSAI License

Meanwhile, the Food Safety Officials of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) with the help of Banjara Hills police has traced out the location of the street vendor who was operating from Chintal Basti, Khairatabad, Hyderabad in the name of WOW Hot Momos/Delhi Hot Momos.

Having traced out the location, the Food Safety Officials have inspected the premises and found that the establishment is being operating without FSSAI license and that the food is being prepared in unhygienic conditions.

The Food Safety officials have lifted the samples of food articles found in the location which are being sent to the State Food Laboratory for purpose of analysis and orders were also issued to stop the business operations.

Further, the Food Safety Officials of GHMC has addressed a letter to the SHO, Banjara Hills to conduct an enquiry into the matter and to take necessary action against the accused, according to a press release issued by the GHMC.