Over 200 individuals have fallen ill in a suspected case of food poisoning after consuming ‘prasad’ during a religious event in Lonar, located in Maharashtra’s Buldhana district, officials reported on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on Tuesday night during the ‘Harinam Saptah’, a week-long religious gathering, at Somthana village in Lonar taluka, informed Buldhana district collector Kiran Patil to PTI.

According to a report by India Today, distressing visuals depicted numerous patients receiving treatment outside a hospital due to a shortage of beds, with saline bottles suspended from ropes attached to nearby trees.

Reportedly, devotees from Somthana and Khaparkhed villages gathered at the temple around 10 pm to partake in ‘prasad’. Shortly after consuming the ‘prasad’, they experienced symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

The affected individuals were swiftly transported to a hospital situated in Bibi village. However, due to a dearth of available beds, a significant portion of the patients had to be treated outdoors, right on the roadside adjacent to the hospital. Saline bottles were hung from ropes tethered to nearby trees.

“On the sixth day of the religious programme in Somthana, ‘prasad’ was distributed to around 400 to 500 people as it was ‘ekadashi’ (eleventh day). Several individuals complained of food poisoning and are currently undergoing treatment,” a local resident informed India Today.

Patil assured that the condition of all patients was stable, with most of them discharged on Wednesday. He further stated that a team of doctors, along with an ambulance and necessary equipment, has been deployed in the village to address any potential medical emergencies.

“Samples of the ‘prasad’ have been sent to a laboratory for analysis, and an inquiry will be initiated,” affirmed the collector.