‘Milk contamination’ leaves four dead, 12 in hospital with anuria

Rajamahendravaram: At least four persons have lost their lives over 48 hours starting Sunday and 12 others have been hospitalised with suspected anuria, after members of several families in Lalacheruvu and adjoining localities in Rajamahendravaram started falling ill from February 15, upon consuming milk suspected to have been adulterated and sold by an unauthorised vendor to over a hundred families.

Amid extensive investigation and public outrage, District Collector Kirti Chekuri confirmed that four deaths linked to symptoms of acute kidney failure have been recorded so far. She told the media on Monday that 12 patients were undergoing treatment in different private hospitals and that their health condition was being monitored continuously. “We conducted a door-to-door survey and collected 73 blood samples. Milk samples obtained from 42 cattle connected to the supplier were also sent to Hyderabad laboratories for detailed analysis,” she said.

The district collector said that blood tests are being conducted in 106 households where the vendor has supplied milk. Samples have so far been collected from 73 families under continuous medical supervision.

The Animal Husbandry Department tested 46 cattle and sent samples to scientific and veterinary laboratories, while Food Safety officials sent milk and curd samples to laboratories in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.

East Godavari district Superintendent of Police (SP) D Narasimha Kishore said post-mortem reports are awaited and the unauthorised dairy unit has been sealed. Based on the blood samples collected so far, Kishore said, children and elderly persons appear to be more affected and advised the public to consume only properly boiled milk for the next few days.

District Medical and Health Officer V Venkateswara Rao said symptoms included nausea, vomiting and reduced urination, and most patients were aged above 60 years. He said epidemiological investigations were underway and clarified that there was no evidence so far of an infectious disease outbreak. Medical camps have been organised in affected areas and continuous surveillance is in place.

The incident surfaced after some residents of Chowdeswari Nagar and Swaroop Nagar near Lalacheruvu began vomiting, after abdominal swelling and stoppage of urine from February 15 onwards. Within days, 16 persons were hospitalised. Most of the victims are aged above 60 years, though a five-month-old infant and a three-year-old child were also affected. Two elderly patients, N. Seshagiri Rao (72) and Radha Krishnamurthy (74), died on Monday morning while undergoing treatment, raising the toll to four. Two others, B. Kanakaratnam (76) and Tadi Krishnaveni (75) succumbed on Sunday. Doctors said that the condition of four patients undergoing treatment in hospitals remains critical. They suspect acute renal failure, pending confirmation through toxicology reports.

Preliminary medical inquiry suggests that all the families with affected individuals had consumed milk supplied by a single vendor from the Korukonda mandal. Residents told officials that milk and curd tasted unusually bitter on Maha Sivaratri day. Police have taken the milk supplier, identified as Ganesh, into custody and seized materials from his premises for examination. Officials said the vendor collected milk from 46 farmers and supplied it to 106 households.

District Superintendent of Police D Narasimha Kishore said special clue teams from Vijayawada were assisting in the investigation. “Post-mortem examinations have been completed and further cases will be registered based on forensic and laboratory reports,” he stated.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation with senior officials and issued directions for strict monitoring and immediate action. The state government has announced ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased. "We are offering Rs 10 lakh financial compensation to the family of the deceased and free treatment for all those hospitalised," Naidu said. The CM ordered strict action against vendors. Tourism and Culture Minister Kandula Durgesh said the administration must remain alert and ensure quality treatment for victims, urging people to approach government hospitals if symptoms appear. Rapid Response Teams comprising health, food safety, municipal, veterinary and police departments have been deployed.

Political reactions followed the incident. YSRCP supremo Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock over the deaths in Rajamahendravaram and offered condolences to the bereaved families. He said 'negligence' in food safety enforcement had endangered public lives and demanded stringent action against those responsible for the alleged adulteration. "Such incidents reflect serious lapses in monitoring mechanisms, and immediate corrective steps must be taken to prevent recurrence," Reddy said in a YSRCP press release.

Congress Working Committee Member Gidugu Rudra Raju went to the hospital and visited the anuria patients. He demanded that Rs. 1 crore be paid to the families of the deceased as ex gratia.

Communist Party of India leader Tatipaka Madhu demanded enhanced compensation of Rs 50 lakh for victims’ families and called for a judicial inquiry into the alleged milk adulteration. Former MP Margani Bharat alleged that several patients showed dangerously high creatinine levels and urged strict action against those responsible.

Leaders from various parties visited the victims in hospitals and demanded improved medical facilities and compensation. YSRCP district president Chelluboina Srinivasa Venugopala Krishna, former MLA Jakkampudi Raja, YSRCP leader J Vijayalakshmi also went to the hospital and visited the victims. The district administration has appointed a nodal officer and set up a helpline (9494060060) for reporting symptoms. Officials appealed to residents not to panic and to follow health advisories while awaiting laboratory results that will determine the exact cause of the suspected contamination.