5 in hosp after being served dry ice as mouth freshener
Manager arrested, sent to 14-day judicial custody
The Gurgaon police has arrested the manager of a local restaurant from where five people were taken to hospital after they were allegedly served dry ice instead of mouth freshener, officials said on Tuesday.
The five diners, who are friends, began vomiting and suffered bleeding in the mouth after consuming the dry ice served to them in an apparent mixup at the La Forestta cafecum-restaurant in Sector 90.
According to the police, the arrested manager is 30-year-old Gagandeep, a resident of Kirti Nagar in Delhi, who joined the cafe three months ago.
He was produced in a city court which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days, the officials said.
“We will issue a notice to the owner also to join the investigation,” said Manesar ACP Surender Sheoran.
The restaurant in Sector 90 was found locked on ◗ FIVE DINERS, who are friends, began vomiting and suffered bleeding in the mouth after consuming the dry ice served to them in an apparent mix-up at the La Forestta cafe-cumrestaurant in Sector 90
Tuesday when a police team visited there, he said.
According to an official, the manager told the police during the preliminary interrogation that a packet of dry ice got mixed up with one of the mouth fresheners (misri) “due to the negligence of the restaurant staff.”
“He said there was no illintention towards the guests and what happened was unfortunate,” the officer said.
Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, a cooling agent that is toxic.
The police said two of the five people are still hospitalised.
Ashwani Rustagi, a relative of one of the victims, said, “It is a very big negligence on the part of the restaurant and action should be taken against the owner.”
The five diners are Ankit Kumar, Neha Samarwal, Manika Goyanka, Deepak Arora, and Himani.
According to the complaint lodged by Ankit Kumar, a resident of Greater Noida, they had gone to La Forestta restaurant on the night of March 3. They were given mouth freshener after their dinner.
As soon as they had the mouth freshener, they got a burning sensation in their mouth and they started vomiting, he said, adding they were taken to a hospital after their health deteriorated.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, showed the five friends purportedly vomiting blood.
“After getting information about the victims from the hospital, the police reached the spot and an FIR was registered. We also visited the La Forestta cafe and restaurant, but it was found locked,” ACP Sheoran said.