Mumbai: The Byculla jail authorities have undertaken a comprehensive cleanup drive after 85 female inmates, one male prisoner, and a four-month-old boy were admitted to JJ Hospital with symptoms of food poisoning on Friday.
Special Inspector General (Prisons) Rajvardhan Sinha said, “We have also changed the water supply and are providing sterilised water to all the inmates. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken samples of the food provided to the prisoners on Thursday, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken water samples for tests.”
He said the reason behind the outbreak could be related to food, water, the cholera medicine administered on Thursday, or the weather. While initial suspicion was on the doxycyclin administered by the health department, the theory seems unlikely as the same medicine was taken by the male prisoners and the staff, none of whom are showing any symptoms. “An inquiry will be initiated into the matter. However, we will only be in a position to decide on our course of action after we receive medical reports of the 81 inmates from JJ Hospital and the test reports from the FDA and the BMC,” Mr. Sinha said.
When asked whether anything different was provided to the female inmates on Thursday, Mr. Sinha replied in the negative. He said all the other inmates and the prison staff have been examined by the prison’s doctors and they are fine.