Dead lizard in birthday cake hospitalises 11 in Palghar

Eleven people, including seven children and four women, were hospitalised after eating a birthday cake allegedly containing a dead lizard in Nalasopara East, Palghar district, on August 14. The victims complained of a burning sensation in the chest, severe stomach pain, and vomiting shortly after eating the cake, which was cut around 6 pm at a party for a 25-year-old woman at Neelkantheshwar building in Taki Pada. Guests noticed a dead lizard on a serving plate, triggering panic.

The cake was bought from Chamunda Cake Shop. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and local authorities have inspected the shop and seized five cakes for testing. Three children were admitted to the ICU, but all patients are now stable, said Dr Vidya Sawant of Vijayalaxmi Hospital. Mayor Rajiv Patil visited the hospital. Further action will depend on the FDA's findings, police said.