A milk vendor’s negligence has turned deadly in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajamundry, where adulterated supplies have caused anuria in multiple residents, resulting in four deaths and widespread hospitalizations. The East Godavari district battles this contamination scare head-on.
Sunday marked a grim milestone with the passing of Sesha Giri Rao, 72, and Radha Krishnamurthy, 74, both admitted for kidney failure symptoms. Two prior deaths set the stage, while three linger critically. Residents from Lala Cheruvu and Choudeshwari Nagar neighborhoods form the epicenter.
Since February 15 – Mahashivratri day – bitter-tasting milk from vendor Ganesh has felled at least 14, including children as young as three years and five months. Now in custody, Ganesh supplied 106 homes, now under scrutiny.
Health officials suspect direct links, collecting samples from 75 families for lab analysis. District Collector Kriti Chekur deploys specialized squads for swift medical inquiries, pending post-mortems.
Commissioner G. Veerapandian places the department on red alert, initiating broad sampling. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Monday summit revealed operational details: rapid test camps operational, elite teams dispatched to the site, and unequivocal orders for victim care and vendor prosecution post-results.
As grief envelops the community, this episode spotlights the perils of unchecked adulteration in everyday staples. Authorities vow exhaustive measures, from enhanced monitoring to public advisories, to avert future tragedies and restore faith in local supply networks.