26 Tejas Express passengers fall ill due to food poisoning

The train was stopped at the Chiplun station in Maharashtra and all 26 people were admitted to the city's Life Care hospital. Their condition is not serious, Konkan Railway Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Gupta told PTI.

Chiplun is nearly 300 km from Karmali in Goa, the departure station of the Tejas Express.

Railway Ministry Spokesperson Anil Saxena, however, said 22 passengers took ill after consuming breakfast.

"The train departed at 9 AM from Karmali and 230 passengers were served breakfast on board. A group of seven passengers complained of nausea and were attended to by the on-board supervisor.

"Meanwhile, two groups of passengers, numbering 15, also complained of nausea," he said in New Delhi.

Saxena said a show cause notice has been served to the catering contractor and "strict action is contemplated" if he is found guilty.

"An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause.

The kitchen, where the food was prepared, was inspected by the Madgaon area officer after the incident and samples, including soup sachets, have been taken for testing," he said.

General Manager of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Arvind Malkhade has proceeded for Chiplun to coordinate the arrangements at the hospital and ensure that the victims were given proper care, he said.

Proper arrangements would also be made for their onward journey after their discharge from the hospital, Saxena added.

Tejas Express, one of the premium trains of the Indian Railways, connects Mumbai with Karmali.