78 BSF Personnel Hospitalised in Manipur in Suspected Mass Food Poisoning Incident
At least 78 personnel of the BSF's 58th Battalion, including three civilian drivers, were admitted to RIMS in Imphal after experiencing vomiting and nausea following breakfast. Food samples have been sent for laboratory testing to determine the cause.
IMPHAL- At least 78 newly posted personnel of the 58th Battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF), including three civilian drivers, were admitted to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal on October 14–15 following complaints of repeated vomiting and nausea after breakfast in a suspected case of mass food poisoning.
The affected personnel belong to the Delta Company (D Company) of the 58th Battalion. They had recently arrived in Imphal (reports cite origins including Dimapur or Chhattisgarh/Raipur) and were stationed at a temporary shelter in the Lamshang (also referred to as Lamsang/Taothong) area of Imphal West district, under the jurisdiction of Lamsang Police Station. The group began experiencing symptoms after consuming breakfast, variously described in accounts as puri and sabji or aloo paratha/parathas.
They were brought to RIMS in batches, with admissions reported around midday. Medical staff provided immediate emergency care focused on correcting dehydration caused by repeated vomiting and administering symptomatic treatment.
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All patients were reported to be in stable condition, with none described as serious. Some accounts indicated that most could be discharged the same evening, with a small number retained for further observation.
RIMS Superintendent-in-Charge Dr. M Rameswar Singh told the media that an entire company of the battalion was brought to the hospital after the personnel began vomiting following breakfast. “None of the cases is serious at present,” he stated.
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He confirmed the clinical diagnosis of mass food poisoning, noted that staff were providing adequate fluids and symptomatic medication, and said patients were responding positively and expected to recover within a few hours. The exact cause had not yet been established at the time of his remarks.
Officials from the State Food Safety Department, along with a team from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, visited the site. They collected samples of the food prepared there and sent them for laboratory testing. Authorities indicated that the precise cause of the suspected contamination would be confirmed only after test results.
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Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam visited RIMS to inquire about the condition of the personnel. The Chief Minister of Manipur also expressed concern over the incident involving personnel of D/58 Battalion BSF and wished them a speedy recovery.
The BSF force had not issued official communication on the matter at the time of filing of this report. Details regarding the unit, recent posting, and temporary accommodation at the Lamshang site were confirmed through hospital and local official accounts.
Further updates on laboratory findings and the full recovery of the personnel are expected.
