Andhra Pradesh’s Rajamundry district is reeling from a deadly milk adulteration scandal that has claimed five lives and left 15 people battling for recovery in hospitals. The government released a detailed update Thursday, revealing a multi-agency response to contain the crisis that started affecting villagers in Narsapuram.
Symptoms struck hard: urinary issues, nausea, severe stomach cramps, and rapid kidney deterioration forced multiple admissions starting February 16. Hospitals like KIMS alerted officials on February 22 about clusters of elderly patients needing urgent dialysis. Lab results showed toxin-induced spikes in blood markers, leading straight to dairy supplies from Varalakshmi Milk Dairy.
Swift measures included suspending supplies to 106 families, deploying nine medical squads to check 307 people across 110 homes, and 14 surveillance teams visiting 679 houses. Blood and urine samples totaling dozens were dispatched for nephrotoxin testing at premier institutes. Only two minor anomalies appeared unrelated to the milk.
Among the hospitalized, critical cases dominate: one on ventilator support, six on dialysis, eight combining both. A heartbreaking toll includes a young child and seniors. The accused supplier, 33-year-old Ganeshwar Rao from the village, is in custody as police probe the entire chain. Food safety raids seized dairy products, water, and vinegar for microbial and chemical scrutiny at JNTU and VMTA labs.
Veterinarians sampled 41 milk batches and livestock inputs, analyzing at VBRI. With top health brass on-site, officials assure stability, but await lab verdicts for prosecutions. This incident spotlights vulnerabilities in local dairy networks, prompting calls for stricter quality controls.