Fatal Bite: Hyderabad Woman Dies After Eating Street Momos, 20 Hospitalized

In Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills area, a case of suspected food poisoning linked to a street food vendor has left a 33-year-old woman dead and hospitalized 20 others, officials reported. The incident occurred after Reshma Begum and her daughters, aged 12 and 14, consumed momos from a vendor on Friday. Soon after, the family experienced severe symptoms, including diarrhea, stomach pain, and vomiting. While her daughters remain under medical care, Reshma Begum, who was a single mother, tragically passed away on Sunday morning.

Ram Babu, Sub-Inspector at the Banjara Hills Police Station, confirmed that a formal complaint had been filed, and authorities are actively investigating the incident. “We received a complaint regarding Reshma Begum’s death and reports of 15 others suffering food poisoning after eating from the same street vendor,” Babu told PTI. Police have registered a case and are pursuing multiple leads to identify the cause.

Preliminary investigations have revealed significant violations of food safety standards at the vendor’s stall. Authorities found that the vendor, who lacked a food safety license, was preparing food in highly unsanitary conditions. The dough used for the momos was stored uncovered in a malfunctioning refrigerator with a broken door, raising serious concerns about food contamination.

Following the complaint from Reshma Begum’s family, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s food safety department, along with local police, traced the vendor and detained two individuals operating the stall. A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been filed against the vendor. Food samples from the stall have been sent for laboratory analysis to determine if contaminants in the food led to the severe reactions experienced by multiple patrons.