Patiala cake-related death: two weeks later, sample report still pending

Manvi, 10, passed away on March 24 after consuming a cake, but the report from the cake samples that the District Health Officer (DHO) took on March 27 has not yet been received, despite the passage of more than two weeks.

The victim’s relatives have claimed that the Health Department was purposefully holding up the proceedings in order to support the accused bakery owner.

The report can come at any moment, according to DHO Dr. Vijay Kumar. He added that there had been no reports of an epidemic of water- or food-borne illness in Manvi’s neighborhood.

The autopsy report was unable to determine the cause of death, and findings on the histology and chemical analysis are still awaited.

The victim’s maternal grandpa, Harbans Lal, reported on March 24 that five family members had consumed the cake.