Kasaragod: A teenaged girl died at Cheruvathoor in Kerala's Kasaragod district on Sunday died due to food poisoning from shawarma served at a local eatery. The deceased is Devananda (16) , daughter of Narayanan and Prasanna of Karivalloor. The girl died while undergoing treatment for food poisoning at the District Hospital in Kanhangad.

As many as 31 people who had shawarma from Ideal Coolbar at Kanhangad have been admitted to the District Hospital after they showed symptoms of food poisoning, including fever and diahrroea, on Saturday and Sunday. District medical Officer (DMO) Dr A V Ramdas said the condition of the others was not critical. He said more facilities will be arranged at Cheruvathoor Primary Health Centre and Nileshwaram Taluk Hospital, if needed.

The DMO said if people who had food from Ideal Coolbar at Cheruvathoor bus stand in the past two days face any health issues they should seek treatment from the nearest health centre. 

Minister orders probe

Health Minister Veena George on Sunday instructed the food safety commissioner to conduct a probe into the incident and submit report to her. She directed the DMO to ensure proper treatment to the affected people. Strict action will be taken against the shop based on the inquiry report.

Minister M V Govindan, who was in the district, visited the District Hospital and took stock of the situation.

Shop shut

After the cases were reported, the health department conducted an inspection and confirmed that those who took shawarma from the eatery had fallen ill. Cheruvathoor panchayat president C Prameela said the eatery has been shut after the incident. Inspections will be held at other such shops also, she said.

Shawarma, originally a Levantine dish consisting of meat cut into thin slices, has been popular across Kerala for years now.