12 In Kupwara Fall Ill; Poisoning Suspected

Twelve members of a family were found unconscious on Monday morning in Nowgam village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, prompting an immediate medical response.

Police said the affected individuals were first taken to a nearby health facility before being referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara for advanced treatment.

“Doctors at the GMC Handwara said the 12 patients referred are responding to treatment and their condition is stable,” police said.

Initial assessments indicate a likely case of food poisoning, though officials noted that the exact cause will be determined following medical examinations.

With the ongoing marriage season in rural Kashmir, consuming poorly cooked or stale food has often been linked to similar incidents in the region.

Authorities are yet to clarify whether the family consumed food at a wedding feast or ate leftovers prepared at home.

The incident comes months after Jammu and Kashmir confronted a major unsafe food scandal that surfaced earlier this year.

Officials seized more than 11,600 kg of decomposed meat, adulterated cheese, and other contaminated products, raising widespread concerns about food safety.

Investigations revealed large quantities of rotten meat, unlabeled frozen items, and products transported from outside the Union Territory, allegedly sourced from sick or dead animals.

Further inspections uncovered counterfeit sweets, fake cheese made using “foreign fats,” and kebabs and ristas containing synthetic colours and low-quality ingredients.

Industry experts had warned that the abolition of the Lakhanpur toll tax in 2020 enabled unchecked entry of unhygienic products due to inadequate cold chain monitoring.

Health specialists linked the consumption of such adulterated foods to food poisoning and serious long-term illnesses, citing concerns that carcinogenic chemicals like formaldehyde were being used to prolong shelf life.

The J&K government and the Food Safety Department subsequently launched a UT-wide crackdown, with high-level meetings chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Numerous raids led to major seizures, FIRs, and suspensions of licences, including that of a Domino’s Pizza outlet and several local establishments.

The Food and Drug Administration later warned businesses of strict penalties, including fines up to ₹10 lakh and imprisonment of up to six years.

Authorities also announced steps to strengthen food safety, such as establishing mandatory testing laboratories, new inspection posts at Lakhanpur and Qazigund, a "Flying Squad" for surprise checks, and a ban on unbranded frozen meat and poultry.

Medical reports on the Kupwara incident are expected to provide clarity on whether contaminated or stale food was responsible for the family’s sudden illness.

—IANS