CUDDALORE : Nearly 200 devotees who attended the V Sathamangalam temple festival fell ill after consuming ‘prasadam’ on Sunday. According to sources, dinner was served at around 7.30 pm in the temple. Shortly afterwards, devotees complained of sickness and vomitting following which they were rushed to the hospital. It is being alleged that the food was contaminated.
Nearly all those who attended the festival fell ill, said sources. The Virudhachalam General Hospital, which rushed its ambulances to the spot, was nearly full of devotees who had come for treatment.
“We suspect the cases are due to food poisoning. We have collected food samples from the temple and have sent it for testing. We will confirm after the results arrive.But there was nothing very serious and we discharged all devotees,” a doctor at Virudhachalam GH said.
Collector V P Thandapani and Virudachalam Revenue Divisional Officer S Chandra rushed to the hospital to check on the patients. The Health Department has been told to investigate.
