One dead, four hospitalised after consuming food at toddy shop near Kottayam

A 41-year-old man who was hospitalised after developing severe discomfort following a meal at a toddy shop in Parippu near Kottayam died on Monday. The deceased was identified as Jyothish, a resident of Pallikkodamparambu in Kumarakom.

According to the police, Jyothish and four of his friends, identified as Akhil, Sujith, Nikhil and Girish, visited the Parippu Thollayiram toddy shop a couple of days ago, where they consumed toddy and food, including a dish prepared using fish head. The group reportedly began experiencing symptoms of illness shortly after leaving the toddy shop and later sought treatment at hospitals in Kumarakom and Kottayam.

While Jyothish succumbed to his illness during treatment, the condition of the others remains stable. Doctors who treated the group alerted the police after suspecting food poisoning. However, the exact cause of the illness is yet to be established.

The Kottayam West Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Officials from the Food Safety department inspected the toddy shop on Monday and collected food samples, which have been sent to a laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram for analysis. “In view of the incident, the department will be carrying out inspections at all toddy shops across the region to ensure the hygiene of food items being served,” a Food Safety department official said.