5-year-old dies, family of 4 hospitalized after restaurant meal
Babushahi Bureau
Surat (Gujarat), August 19, 2026: A five-year-old girl died and four members of her family were hospitalised in Surat after the family reportedly fell ill following a meal at a restaurant, officials said.
The family, which lives in Ranujdham Society in Surat, said that Ashokbhai Kalsaria and one of his daughters developed severe stomach pain at around 4 am on August 16.
According to the family, the two sought treatment at a local clinic at around 9 am. Subsequently, the remaining members of the family also developed health problems, following which all five were taken to Sad Vichar Hospital.
The family said that five-year-old Arya died around 15 to 20 minutes after they reached the hospital’s emergency department.
Arya’s father, Ashokbhai, his wife and their two other daughters are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Doctors have reportedly described their condition as stable.
Restaurant sealed after civic inspection
Following the incident, a team from the Surat Municipal Corporation inspected Sheetal Restaurant, where the family is reported to have eaten.
Officials reportedly found deficiencies related to cleanliness and hygiene in the restaurant’s kitchen. The restaurant was subsequently sealed and issued a notice, while food samples were collected for laboratory testing.
Food Safety Officer Sejal Vyas said the team visited the restaurant after receiving a complaint of suspected food poisoning.
According to Vyas, the officials inspected the premises and disposed of food items that were found to be unfit.
While the incident has raised concerns about possible food poisoning, the precise cause of Arya’s death has not yet been conclusively established.
Food samples collected from the restaurant have been sent for examination, and the findings are expected to help determine whether contaminated food was responsible for the illness.
The restaurant’s response to the allegations was not immediately available. Further action by the authorities is expected based on the inspection and laboratory reports.