Malkangiri: More than 100 people fell ill after consuming lassi at Kurti haat (market) under Kalda Gram Panchayat in the district on Friday.
Around 60 of them became serious around midnight and were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital in critical conditions.
Upon receiving the information, a medical team reached the area and take stock of the situation. A fire service team has also been pressed into service to shift the critical patients to the hospital.
According to reports, villagers of the nearby area had been to the weekly Kurti hat on Friday when they consumed lassi from a shop to beat the scorching heat. However, after returning home, most of them complained of severe stomach ache and started vomiting.
Some of the critical patients were shifted to the nearby hospital immediately by their family members. But after getting so many phone calls, the hospital authorities took the help of the nearby fire service station to shift the victims to the medical.
According to the hospital authority, the critical patients were provided immediate treatment and all of them responded well.
“The conditions of most of the patients here are stable now. They were admitted to the hospital in time and provided quality treatment,” said a doctor.
According to locals, the incident might have occurred because of the spurious lassi served by the vendor.
“Some poisonous insect might have fallen into the drink. The lassi vendor should have been careful before serving it to the people,” said a villager.
(Edited By Pradeep Singh)