Report

A suspected case of food contamination at a private shelter home in Sundarapandiapuram near Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu has claimed four lives so far. On Friday, a 70-year-old resident, Dhanalakshmi, died at Tenkasi Government Hospital after failing to respond to treatment for severe digestive complications.

Critical Patients Shifted for Advanced Care

Health officials moved eight more residents — Ram Lakshmi, Esakkiammal, Mariammal, Mumtaz, Karuppayi, Selvaraj, Kaliyappan, and Meenatchi Sundaram — to Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment as their symptoms worsened. Revathi Balan, dean of Tirunelveli GH, confirmed that all eight patients remain stable under treatment, though doctors admitted Mariammal to the intensive care unit due to her critical condition. “We are closely monitoring them, considering their age and existing health issues,” she said.

Preliminary Reports Indicate E. coli

Doctors at Tenkasi GH said early signs and initial lab results point towards a possible E. coli infection from contaminated food. “Many residents were already frail with low immunity, so we decided to shift critical patients to Tirunelveli for better care,” a senior doctor explained. Pushpa Raj, the designated officer for the food safety department, said the department expects three crucial test results by Saturday. “We will submit the reports to the district collector, who will decide when to share details with the public,” he said.

Police Detain Shelter Operator

Earlier this week, three other residents — Shankar (48), Murugammal (45), and Ambika (40) — died after allegedly eating meat-based food served at the Annai Nalvalvu Trust shelter home on Sunday night. The shelter houses over 60 residents, including the elderly and people with mental disabilities. Tenkasi police detained Rajendran, the shelter’s operator, on Thursday. Investigators are probing the suspected food contamination and the shelter’s food safety practices. Authorities have assured that the food safety, health, and police departments will submit their full findings to the district collector within a day.

Source: The Times of India