Critter in curry served to an SSKM patient on Monday. Picture by Sanjay Chattopadhayaya

A snail was found in the dinner served to a cardiac patient at SSKM Hospital on Monday.

The hospital ordered a probe after a family member of the patient, Shibu Dutta, showed the bowl of curry containing the snail to the superintendent.

The SSKM kitchen — which prepares meals for 13,000-odd patients every day — is run by the Bidhannagar Wholesale Consumers’ Cooperative Society.

The dinner was served around 8pm but the 34-year-old patient, who was admitted in the Mackenzie ward on July 25 after complaining of chest pain, set aside the food as he preferred to eat later.

“Around 10pm, when he removed the cover, he saw the snail in the curry bowl,” said Krishna, Shibu’s wife.

The patient showed the bowl to a few ward boys and nurses who took it away. Moments later, they returned it, with the curry and the snail, saying they had taken a picture of its content which they would produce before the medical superintendent the next day.

But the family did not hear from the authorities on Tuesday morning, prompting Shibu’s brother Sanjay to take the bowl to the medial superintendent, who “promised to look into the matter”.

A hospital official said the matter was being probed and action would be taken against those found guilty. “No complaint has been lodged but we have come to know about the allegation and are probing it.”