Report

The Food Safety Department has shut down Hotel Bilal Biryani in Triplicane in Chennai after six customers reportedly suffered food poisoning from consuming spoiled food. Authorities admitted the affected individuals to the Communicable Diseases Hospital (CDH) in Tondiarpet. The closure followed protests by some customers and complaints lodged by two victims at the Triplicane police station.

A team of officials, led by designated officer P. Satheesh Kumar and accompanied by Chennai Corporation health officials, inspected the food served at the hotel on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. According to a senior city police official, the restaurant had remained closed since Monday, March 31, 2025. Food Safety officials attempted to contact the restaurant’s management but received no response. Consequently, they sealed the premises and issued a notice seeking an explanation from the management.

What Happened?

Six individuals — V. Vignesh, M. Jaishankar, K. Shyam, K. Vivekanandan, A. Stephen, and S. Rebecca — dined at Hotel Bilal Biryani on Sunday night, March 30, 2025. By Monday morning, they experienced severe vomiting and abdominal pain. Initially, they sought outpatient care at a nearby private hospital. When their condition failed to improve, they were shifted to CDH in Tondiarpet for further treatment. Acting on a complaint from Mr. Vignesh’s parents, Triplicane police registered a case against the restaurant.

Separate Incident at Mount Road Branch

In a separate case, Ice House police registered a complaint against Hotel Bilal on Mount Road (Anna Salai) after two college students fell ill with food poisoning symptoms. The girls had dined with their family at the restaurant on Sunday night. They began experiencing vomiting and abdominal pain and were admitted to Government Royapettah Hospital on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, where they continue to receive treatment.

Source: The Hindu