Bokaro: The Giridih district administration on Monday constituted a team to probe the alleged reports of food poisoning which led to the death of a seven-year-old boy a day earlier.While 18 were admitted to the Sadar Hospital with symptoms of food poisoning on Sunday, the number of hospitalizations rose to 49 on Monday. Officers said the street vendor Obhilal Yadav, 39, whose consumption of golgappas caused the alleged death and the hospitalisations, was detained for questioning.Yadav was detained after officials searched his house in Palmo under Mufassil police station limits. Samples of chaat, along packets of coloring agents, were seized. Sources said Yadav was using coloring agents which are used to dye fabric.District food safety officer Raja Kumar said, “The samples were sent to a laboratory in Kolkata for detailed examination. Preliminary findings have indicated the use of artificial color used in the chole mixture which was used in Golgappa.” Yadav told cops that he had sold over 500 golgappas besides portions of chaat on April 27, the day of incident, as he moved through several villages in search of customers.Deputy commissioner Ram Niwas Yadav, who spoke the residents of Kumhargaria and Bajto villages, said, “Those who ate in morning remained unaffected, but people who consumed snacks from this vendor later in the day fell ill. Symptoms worsened by Sunday morning, forcing many to turn up at Sadar Hospital.”
