Mystery shrouds deaths of 2 Ahmedabad girls, parents hospitalised; kin blame dosa batter

AHMEDABAD: Mystery gripped the Chandkheda area after two girls — a three-month-old infant and her four-year-old elder sister — died, while their parents were hospitalised, allegedly after consuming dosas made from batter purchased from a local dairy.

While the family has blamed the idli-dosa batter, police officials said they are probing all angles, especially considering that the three-month-old baby could not have consumed solid food made from the batter. Officials said they are awaiting the viscera report of the children to determine the exact cause of death.

The deceased have been identified as Raha Prajapati (3 months) and Mishri Prajapati (4). Raha died on Saturday, while Mishri succumbed on Sunday. Their parents, Vimal Prajapati, an insurance agent, and Bhavna Prajapati, a homemaker, are admitted to KD Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment and are reported to be stable.

According to the family, Vimal had purchased 3kg of batter from a dairy on IOC Road in Chandkheda on the evening of April 1. The family consumed dosas that night, but by the next morning, all members began experiencing severe vomiting and uneasiness, triggering panic.

The girls' grandfather, Gaurishankar Prajapati, recounted the sequence of events, stating that while the couple initially fell ill, the children, who had also consumed items made from the batter, fell sick and their condition deteriorated rapidly. "The infant developed severe convulsions and died during treatment. The elder child was briefly discharged but had to be rushed back when her health worsened. She could not be saved," he said.

The case took a more perplexing turn when police revealed that the infant's death on April 4 was not reported, and the last rites were performed without informing authorities. It was only after the elder child collapsed and died on April 5 that Chandkheda police were alerted.

Police inspector J K Makwana said a case of accidental death had been registered and multiple angles were being examined. "The findings now hinge largely on the forensic report. So far, no toxic or suspicious substance has been recovered from the house," he said.

A senior police officer said that the three-month-old girl could not have consumed dosa as she was exclusively breastfed, yet her condition deteriorated. "Doctors are shocked at how such a young infant died. If she was affected through breastfeeding, the mother's condition would have been more serious. The parents are not critical, but they are under observation in the ICU," the officer said.

Investigators also noted that most of the batter — nearly 2.7 kg — had been returned to the dairy, with only a small portion consumed, adding another layer of complexity to the probe.

Meanwhile, the dairy owner, Ketan Patel, denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the same batch of batter was sold to several customers without complaints. "We sell over 100–125 kg of batter daily. No other customer has reported any issue, and even our family consumed it," he told reporters on Monday.

Officials from the forensic science laboratory and the food and drugs department have collected samples from both the dairy and the residence.