2 held after farmer dies of food poisoning at pesticide firm

A day after a farmer died of suspected food poisoning and 69 others were taken ill after having meal at an event organised by a pesticide company in Nashik district, the police today arrested a catering contractor and a cook for the incident, officials said.
Police last night registered offences against two caterers and the regional crop manager of the company, which organised a seminar on tomato crop at Umarale village.
Sunil Wadje, the catering contractor, and cook Sitaram Wakale (40), were arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend Sunil Mule, the regional crop manager, a police said.
After they ate food served at the programme, 70 farmers vomited and felt giddy, following which they were taken to different hospitals, where one of them-- Atul Kedar-- died, Nashik Civil Surgeon Suresh Jagdale said.

Samples of the food served to the farmers were sent for examination to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.
Dindori rural police late last night booked two caterers and the regional crop manager under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) of the IPC.
According to police, the condition of farmers admitted to Nashik Civil Hospital, a rural hospital in Dindori taluka and three private hospitals in the city, was improving.