Milk ‘adulteration’ kills 4; AP announces Rs 10 lakh ex gratia

Four people died and 12 others were hospitalised in East Godavari district after allegedly consuming adulterated milk supplied by an unauthorised vendor. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs 10 lakh ex gratia to the families of the deceased and assured free treatment

Rajamahendravaram: Four people died in the last 48 hours after allegedly consuming adulterated milk supplied by an unauthorised vendor in East Godavari district, police said on Monday Expressing grief over the deaths, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the victims.

After consuming the “contaminated” milk, two persons died on Sunday, while two others died on Monday, besides the hospitalisation of 12 more victims, police said.

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As per preliminary investigation, the contaminated milk caused kidney (renal) failure, leading to sudden urinary blockage and death.

East Godavari district Collector Kirthi Chekuri said special response teams are conducting door-to-door surveys and providing medical assistance to people in affected areas, adding that 12 people requiring dialysis were admitted to hospitals.

A local milk vendor was taken into custody, she said.

“Four people died and 12 others were hospitalised over the past two days after consuming adulterated milk supplied by an unauthorised vendor in the city,” Chekuri told media.

The district collector said that blood tests are being conducted in 106 households where the vendor has supplied milk, and samples have so far been collected from 73 families under continuous medical supervision.

Meanwhile, the animal husbandry department tested 46 cattle and sent samples to scientific and veterinary laboratories, while Food Safety officials sent milk and curd samples to laboratories in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

East Godavari district Superintendent of Police (SP) D Narasimha Kishore said post-mortem reports are awaited and the unauthorised dairy unit has been seized.

Based on the blood samples collected so far, Kishore said children and elderly persons appear to be more affected and advised the public to consume only properly boiled milk for the next few days.

District Medical and Health Officer V Venkateswara Rao said symptoms included nausea, vomiting and reduced urination, and most patients were above 60 years of age.

Addressing the assembly, the chief minister said his government will bear the entire medical expenditure of the people who are undergoing treatment in various hospitals after consuming the ‘adulterated’ milk.

“We are offering Rs 10 lakh financial compensation to the family of the deceased and free treatment for all those hospitalised,” said Naidu.

The CM said the government is conducting a 360-degree inquiry and assured strict action against the people responsible for the tragic deaths and hospitalisations.

Similarly, YSRCP supremo Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the deaths in Rajamahendravaram and offered condolences to the bereaved families.

He said ‘negligence’ in food safety enforcement had endangered public lives and demanded stringent action against those responsible for the alleged adulteration.

“Such incidents reflect serious lapses in monitoring mechanisms, and immediate corrective steps must be taken to prevent recurrence,” said Reddy in a YSRCP press release.

He urged the health department to ensure best medical care to those hospitalised, closely monitor their condition and deploy expert teams if necessary.