A distressing incident unfolded in Patiala, Punjab, as a one-and-a-half-year-old girl fell seriously ill after consuming expired chocolates purchased from a local grocery store. The toddler, hailing from Ludhiana, had accompanied her parents to a relative's house in Patiala, where the relative, Vicky Gehlot, procured a box of chocolates for her.
Tragically, after ingesting the chocolates, the girl began vomiting blood, prompting her immediate admission to the Christian Medical College as her health rapidly deteriorated. Medical assessments revealed that she had ingested a poisonous substance from the expired chocolates, prompting her family to lodge a complaint with both the police and the state health department.
In response, a swift investigation was launched, with health officials swiftly descending upon the grocery store in question to gather samples for analysis. Their findings confirmed the sale of expired consumables, and further inspection revealed additional expired snacks within the shop's inventory.
This incident is part of a concerning trend, as just last month, a 10-year-old girl in Patiala tragically lost her life due to suspected food poisoning after consuming a cake on her birthday. Investigations into that incident unveiled alarming revelations, including the revelation that the bakery responsible for the cake was unregistered and operating under false pretenses, while the cake itself was found to be stale.
These incidents underscore the critical importance of stringent food safety regulations and the necessity for heightened vigilance to prevent such tragedies from recurring. As investigations continue, authorities must take decisive action to ensure accountability and safeguard public health.
