Mysore, May 27 (KK&KMC)- About 70 guests at a wedding ceremony held at Hotel Das Prakash near Prabha Theatre in city were hospitalised after drinking stale (adulterated) grape juice served to them as welcome drink.

The guests who complained vomitting were admitted to Vikram Jyeshta in Yadavagiri and Vikram Jyoth in Vontikoppal. Out of the 69 admitted, 66 were discharged yesterday while three are recouping in the hospitals, according to Dr. S. Bhaskar, Chairman of Vikram Hospitals.

Hotel locked

Mysore City Corporation (MCC) authorities, holding the hotel staff responsible for the incident, locked up the hotel later in the day.

The wedding reception of Chandramouleshwara of Hinkal and Tejaswi of Kuvempunagar was held in city yesterday and during the reception at Das Prakash Hotel that began at 12 noon, the guests were served grape juice. About half an hour later, all the guests, about 80, started vomitting and complained of uneasiness.

The hoteliers and their staff are said to have made no effort to help the ailing guests, despite requests made by the bride's and groom's family members. On the contrary, they are said to have berated the guests.

The ailing persons made their own transport arrangements and got admitted to hospitals.

DCP Basavaraj Malagatti and personnel from Lashkar Police Station visited the hotel and helped in shifting the ailing persons.

Additional DC Dr. C.G. Betsurmath, Assistant Commissioner D. Bharathi, District Health Officer Dr. V. Raju and others called on the ailing persons at the hospital.

MCC Commissioner K.S. Raikar told Star of Mysore yesterday that samples of the grape juice and ice cubes were sent for laboratory analysis.

"Prima facie evidence points at lack of hygiene in the hotel," said Raikar and added that the hotel's licence has been cancelled and the premises locked by MCC.

A report from the Health Department is awaited.

Mysore City Hotel Owners' Association President M. Rajendra visited the ailing persons and distributed fruits to them.

Maintain hygiene or face closure: Mayor warns hoteliers

Mysore, May 27 (KMC)-Mayor Sandesh Swamy has warned all the hotels and restaurants in the City to keep their premises hygienically clean.

In a statement issued in the aftermath of the food poisoning of wedding guests at a city hotel yesterday, the Mayor said that he would close down any hotel or restaurant that failed to adhere to strict standards of hygiene.

Referring to the incident where more than 70 persons were taken ill after consuming grape juice, the Mayor said, "Samples of juice have been sent for lab analysis" and added insecticides sprayed on the grapes may have caused mild food poisoning.

The Mayor also referred to other incidents in the past where people had fallen ill due to food poisoning.

Courtesy : Star Of Mysore