Newskarnataka-Kasargod

Kasargod : As many as 50 passengers travelling in the Ajmer-Ernakulam Marusagar Express were taken ill due to food poisoning. All of them had reportedly consumed stale food supplied from the train pantry on the night of August 17, Saturday.

It is learnt, mostly passengers who were in the AC coach and two sleeper coaches fell ill. They had reportedly consumed biriyani and egg from the pantry.

When all of them began to vomit and suffer from stomach pain as the train reached  Mangalore station, the agitated passengers barged into the train pantry and took the staff there to task. The train then proceeded  after railway officials tried to pacify the agitated passengers who even said that the pantry was in poor shape and was stinking.

As the train headed towards Kasargod, passengers tried to stop the train twice by pulling the chain.  At Kasargod, the ill passengers were shifted to hospitals in an ambulance. The condition of five of them is said to be critical. Finally the train proceeded towards Ernakulam after a two-hour halt after officials assured action against the erring pantry staff.

At Ernakulam, Legislator NA Nellikunnu visited the train pantry and promised action against those found guilty.