62 people fall sick after eating prasad at religious event in Kannauj

A religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj district turned into a health emergency after 62 people reportedly fell ill following the consumption of prasad distributed during a Satyanarayan Katha ceremony. The incident happened in Simuapur village, where local residents and devotees had gathered for the religious function at the home of a villager named Munna Lal Kashyap.

According to officials and local residents, prasad including panchamrit and panjiri was distributed among the people attending the ceremony on Friday night. A few hours later, several devotees started complaining of stomach pain, vomiting, weakness and discomfort. As more people began showing similar symptoms, panic spread among families in the village.

Initially, relatives took the affected people to nearby private clinics for treatment. However, when the number of patients increased rapidly and symptoms became more serious, authorities shifted all of them to the district hospital for proper medical care and observation.

Health officials later confirmed that the condition of the patients was stable. Authorities have now started an investigation to determine the exact cause of the illness and whether the prasad served during the religious event was contaminated.

The incident has once again raised concerns about food safety and hygiene during large public gatherings and religious events where food offerings are distributed to many people at once.

People complained of stomach pain and vomiting

The religious ceremony was organised on Friday evening in Simuapur village of Kannauj district. Villagers had gathered to attend the Satyanarayan Katha, a popular Hindu religious event where devotees listen to prayers and later receive prasad as a blessing.

As part of the ceremony, panchamrit and panjiri were distributed among the attendees. Panchamrit is a traditional mixture prepared using ingredients like milk, curd, honey, sugar and ghee. Panjiri is another sweet offering commonly prepared during religious functions using flour, sugar, dry fruits and ghee.

According to local reports, everything appeared normal during the event. However, a few hours after returning home, several people started feeling unwell.

Many complained of stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and extreme weakness late during the night. Family members became worried as similar symptoms began appearing in many people who had attended the event and consumed the prasad.

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Some patients reportedly included children and elderly people, which increased concern among villagers. Since local clinics were the nearest medical facilities available, relatives first rushed the patients there for immediate treatment.

As the number of affected people continued rising, doctors and local authorities realised that a larger medical response was necessary. All the patients were then shifted to the district hospital for further treatment and monitoring.

Hospital staff provided medicines, fluids and medical observation to the patients. Officials later said most people were responding well to treatment and their condition was stable.

Authorities suspect that the illness may have been caused by contaminated food or improper storage of ingredients used in preparing the prasad. However, officials said a final conclusion can only be reached after proper testing and investigation.

Health department teams have reportedly begun collecting samples of the food items distributed during the event. These samples may be tested in laboratories to identify whether bacteria, contamination or spoilage caused the illness.

Officials are also trying to determine whether hygiene conditions during preparation and distribution of the prasad were properly maintained.

Similar food poisoning cases reported earlier

The Kannauj incident is not the first time a large number of people have fallen ill after consuming food offerings at public or religious gatherings.

Earlier this year, a similar incident was reported in Bengaluru Rural district during Ram Navami celebrations. In that case, nearly 60 people reportedly became sick after eating temple prasad distributed to hundreds of devotees.

Many people in the Bengaluru incident had also complained of symptoms such as vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea shortly after eating the food offering. Health authorities had then collected food samples for laboratory testing to identify the cause of contamination.

Such incidents often increase during summer months because high temperatures can spoil food quickly if ingredients are not stored properly. Experts say milk-based products, sweets and cooked food items can become unsafe if left outside for long periods without refrigeration.

Doctors explain that contaminated food can lead to food poisoning, especially when prepared in large quantities under unhygienic conditions. Symptoms commonly include vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever and weakness.

Health experts advise organisers of religious events and public functions to maintain proper cleanliness while preparing and distributing food. Using fresh ingredients, clean water, hygienic utensils and proper storage methods can reduce the risk of contamination.

Medical experts also recommend avoiding food that smells unusual or appears stale. During hot weather, cooked food should ideally be consumed quickly and not left uncovered for long periods.

The latest incident in Kannauj has worried many local residents because prasad is considered sacred and is usually distributed with faith and trust during religious events. Villagers said they never expected so many people to fall ill after attending a spiritual gathering.

District authorities are expected to continue monitoring the health of the affected patients over the next few days. Officials may also issue additional food safety guidelines for organisers of large public events.

For now, doctors say the quick medical response helped prevent the situation from becoming more serious. Since all patients received timely treatment, most are now reported to be recovering well.

The investigation into the exact reason behind the illness is still ongoing. Authorities are waiting for medical and laboratory reports before confirming whether the prasad was contaminated or whether another factor caused the sudden health emergency in the village.