Beauty for a price

Ranchi, Sept. 21: The state is likely to probe large-scale allergy infection among women and girls across the state after application of mehndi on hands on the eve of Id.

However, quashing rumours, the state made it clear that no death had occurred due to the infection.

Talking to The Telegraph, state health secretary Sukhdeo said: “Since today is a holiday, we will take a decision tomorrow. We will discuss the issue and initiate a probe.”

In Bihar, Bengal and Orissa too, hundreds of women, who had applied mehndi, visited hospitals with complaints of vomiting and rashes. Singh’s Bihar counterpart C.K. Mishra has formed a committee to probe the incident.

Meanwhile, several Muslims organisations criticised the maulavis (religious leaders) for adding to the panic by announcing that mehndi was causing allergy and that those who had applied it should wash it. “The religious leaders should have first confirmed the rumours before making any announcement at the mosques. It was an irresponsible act,” said a leader of the minority community.

“The state should follow in the footsteps of Bihar and initiate a probe. The culprits should be brought to book,” said Kurshid Hassan Rumi, the general secretary of Mulsim Majlish Musabarat.

Last night, panic gripped Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur, Lohardaga and other districts of Jharkhand after rumours spread that many people had died due to allergy caused by mehndi. In Hazaribagh, thousands of people rushed to the Sadar hospital around midnight. Most of them complained of irritation and itching. Doctors tried to quell the fear, leading to a scuffle on the campus.

However, only two women were found to be suffering from allergy. Both of them were admitted later. Today, three more cases surfaced. One of the victims, Ravina, 14, was brought to the hospital from Mandu by her father, Nasir, in an unconscious condition. “She applied mehndi and lost senses,” Nasir said. She was given anti-allergic vials later.

By this evening, one Mahru Khan, who had applied mehndi to impress his wife, was also admitted to hospital after he complained itching and giddiness.

Civil surgeon of Ranchi B.K. Singh ruled out any death in the district and elsewhere. “By noon, all the patients had gone back home. The mehndi powder must have contained some chemical that caused the allergy,” added Singh, who supported the idea of a probe.