In a shocking incident, five individuals were rushed to the hospital with severe internal injuries after a Gurugram eatery mistakenly served them unidentified chemical crystals, believed to be dry ice, instead of traditional mouth sweeteners. The incident took place on March 2 at Laforestta Café in Sector 90 during a birthday celebration.
Manik Goenka and his group, including his wife Pritika Rustagi, friends Deepak Arora and wife Himani, and Ankit Kumar and his wife Neha Sabharwal, experienced immediate distress after consuming the crystals, thinking they were “mishri” or sweeteners. Only Kumar and his one-year-old daughter refrained from ingesting the substance.
Kumar recounted the horrifying experience, stating that within seconds, the group started bleeding from their mouths due to a chemical reaction. Despite their cries for help, the restaurant employees reportedly fled the scene. An ambulance was called, but Kumar and Pritika decided not to wait and transported the injured to a nearby hospital in Sector 90.
As of now, Himani, Goenka, Arora, and Rustagi remain hospitalized, with some in the intensive care unit. Kumar expressed concern over the severity of their condition. He informed the police about the incident and handed over some of the suspected crystals for further analysis.
Deepak Kumar Jewaria, deputy commissioner of police (Manesar), assured that a thorough investigation is underway. The crystals will be subjected to chemical analysis to determine their nature. The police have registered a case against the waitress and other unidentified employees under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 328 (causing hurt by poison) of the Indian Penal Code.
The manager of Laforestta Café, Shridhar, suggested that the incident might be an attempt to tarnish the restaurant’s reputation. He claimed that the waitress provided the mouth sweeteners upon request and was unsure about the contents of the bowl served to the guests. Shridhar affirmed the restaurant’s cooperation with the police investigation.
