Hyderabad food poisoning: Hygiene gaps stir the pot of sickness Premium

Hyderabad grapples with food safety crisis as contaminated food leads to tragic deaths and public health concerns.

On a chilly mid-November evening, 23-year-old Ravi’s craving for chicken biryani led him to Green Bawarchi Multi Cuisine Restaurant in Hyderabad’s Neredmet area. The aroma, the bustling diners, and the promise of a hearty meal all seemed inviting — until his indulgence spiralled into a medical emergency. Within hours, he doubled over in pain, vomiting and suffering from severe diarrhoea. His family rushed him to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with acute gastroenteritis, likely caused by contaminated food. He was immediately placed on an IV drip and prescribed antibiotics that saved his life.

Ravi’s ordeal is a tiny example of a growing public health crisis in Hyderabad as poor hygiene and food contamination plague eateries across the city. The tragedy of 32-year-old Reshma Begum, three weeks prior, highlights the deadly consequences of this growing crisis. On October 25, Reshma had a plate of momos from a streetside stall in Banjara Hills that left her battling with severe diarrhoea through the night. “The next morning, as she was heading to the bathroom, she collapsed and lost consciousness,” recounts her brother, Farooq Hussain.

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Her family found her foaming at the mouth and frantically called for an ambulance. “The ‘108’ ambulance took about 30 minutes to arrive and when it did, the driver, who was alone, said he couldn’t carry her down from the third floor all by himself,” he recalls.

The family had to call neighbours for help. Almost half hour later, Reshma was admitted to the emergency room of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), a top government tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad. “Another 30-40 minutes later, doctors broke the news that she could not be revived,” he says, sobbing.

Farooq and his family began making arrangements for Reshma’s funeral, unaware that others had also fallen ill after consuming momos from the same vendor. It was only when someone suggested that it could be part of a larger public health issue that they decided to request a post-mortem examination. They returned to NIMS, handed over Reshma’s body, and were assured that the report would be ready in 15 to 20 days.

“But it has been over a month and there is no update from the police or the hospital. When my father recently visited the police station to ask about the report, he was told it would take more time,” adds Farooq, who works as a driver for a ride-hailing platform and is the sole breadwinner for his family.