Two days after 57-year-old IAS officer Prashant Navghare died at Trishna Hotel at Kala Ghoda, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, visited the hotel and collected food samples and masala used for cooking the dishes ordered by the official on Wednesday night. Navghare was posted as Secretary in the Maharashtra Public Works Department.
The autopsy was performed at JJ Hospital by a police surgeon but the exact cause of the death has yet to be ascertained. His viscera (internal organs) has been preserved for a detailed analysis.
One FDA official said, “As per the details received from the hotel and police department, Navghare and his colleagues had ordered chicken chilli and prawn koliwada. We have collected samples of these specific food items, which will be sent for analysis at the laboratory to ascertain the content.”
A hotel staffer said it appeared that Navghare was facing an allergic reaction as he was seen itching before entering the hotel and repeatedly scratched himself till he ordered the food.
He said, “The officer was feeling uneasy, following which one of his colleagues went to a medical shop to get some medicines. He had ordered food but collapsed at the table by the time his colleague returned. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.”
Navghare had gone to play badminton with two of his colleagues, who also hold similar positions of Secretary and Deputy Secretary in the PWD department. Later, they went to his official residence at Churchgate before stepping out for dinner. They entered the restaurant at 7.55pm; at 8.52pm, Navghare complained of uneasiness and collapsed at the table.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
