Days after eating from a restaurant in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district, a 14-year-old girl has died from food poisoning. The child, Kalaiarasi, tragically passed away in her sleep on Monday morning, September 18, after she ate at the Iwins restaurant in Paramathi, Namakkal on Saturday. The child’s mother and others in her family who also ate from the same restaurant have fallen sick from food poisoning. Additionally, several other customers including students from the Namakkal Government Medical College and Hospital, who ate at the restaurant have fallen ill as well. 

Recent reports suggest that at least 20 people, including the child, have been affected after consuming food from Iwins restaurant. Those who have fallen  ill are currently undergoing treatment at the government  hospital. 

While initial reports said that the food poisoning had occurred after consuming shawarma served at the restaurant, the dean of the Namakkal Medical College and Hospital K Shanta Arulmozhi while speaking to the media said, “It’s not possible to say it’s only the shawarma that was the cause. Each person has named different food items. The only common factor seems to be the restaurant. Some have eaten fish, others have eaten vegetarian items like mushrooms. They did not all eat the same item.”  She also added that those under treatment are suffering from diarrhea, fever and vomiting. 

According to Puthiyathalaimurai, Kalaiarasi and her family fell sick on Sunday and had sought treatment at a private hospital, but returned home the same day. 

However, in an unfortunate turn of events, the child died in her sleep on Monday morning.  

Local authorities have meanwhile sealed the restaurant and three people including the owner of the restaurant Navin Kumar have been arrested, Sun News and Puthiyathalaimurai report. Additionally a temporary ban on shawarma has been imposed across Namakkal district by the District Food Safety Officer.