Ludhiana, Jan. 16 -- It took almost 24 hours for health officials to collect samples from the shop that had supplied "gajrela" for distribution as "prasad" at Gurdwara Thada Sahib in Ayali Khurd village, leaving around 60 devotees sick on Wednesday. Officials inspected the sweet shop in Barewal to collect samples on Thursday whereas villagers stated that the delay would have given ample time to the shopkeeper to dispose of the remnants of the "affected batch".

Villagers also said that samples from the gurdwara should have been collected immediately after devotees complained of vomiting and loose motions on the occasion of Maghi. The health department didn't collect samples from the gurdwara right away. District health officer (DHO) Dr Sa...