A young man who had been on ventilator support due to food poisoning after consuming shawarma (a snack with meat) from a restaurant in Mavelipuram in Kerala’s Kakkanad died on October 25. Rahul D Nair (22), who hailed from Pala was working at the Cochin Special Economic Zone and was staying with his friends at Chittethukara.

Around 10 others who had food from the same restaurant in Kakkanad have sought treatment at different hospitals. Four patients among them are employees of Infopark and the other six have been identified as Aishna Ajith (34), Atharv Ajith (8), Ashmi Ajith (3), Shyamjith (30), Anjali (26) and Sarath (26). Their conditions are stable.

The blood samples collected from infected persons including Rahul, who passed away, have confirmed the presence of the Salmonella bacteria. Salmonella infection is usually caused when a person consumes raw or undercooked meat, egg or egg products and unpasteurized milk. Most people who have contacted the virus may experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps after 8 hours of exposure to the bacteria.

The Le Hayat restaurant in Kakkanad was sealed shut by the Thrikkakara Municipality after the incident. The patients who sought treatment however, had consumed different food items, and not just shawarma.

The restaurant owner has been booked by the Thrikkakara police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including Sections 284 (dealing with poisonous substances so as to endanger human life) and Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide).