At least 175 people, mostly children, fall ill after consuming ‘contaminated’ food in Jharkhand

At least 175 people, most of them children, fell ill after they allegedly consumed contaminated food at a fair in Jharkhand’s Palamu district, officials said on Monday (February 16, 2026).

The incident was reported from Dwarka village under the Panki Police Station limits when these people became sick due to “food poisoning”, Palamu Civil Surgeon Dr. Anil Kumar Shrivastav said.

Most of the patients were suffering from vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain since Sunday (February 15) night, another official said.

“Altogether, 175 people were admitted to the Panki Community Health Centre (CHC), but now only 22 of them are undergoing treatment. The initial symptoms indicate food poisoning. The exact cause will only be ascertained after the investigation reports come,” Shrivastav said.

These people consumed contaminated food items at a fair organised on the occasion of Mahashivratri, another official said.

Affected children being monitored

The health department arranged for additional medicines and medical personnel, and the affected children were being continuously monitored, the civil surgeon said.

“I have instructed the doctors to ensure proper treatment for the patients and make sure medicines, beds, and medical staff are available as required,” he said.

The health department is fully alert and prepared to deal with any emergency situation, another official said.

The Mahashivratri fair was organised in the Raghua Khad area of Dwarka, and people from Dwarka, Yadav Tola, Jamuatand, and several surrounding villages attended.