Child Hospitalised After Consuming Expired Soft Drink in Telangana Village

A youngster in the Huzurabad area has been receiving medical treatment following an illness caused by an expired beverage, raising fresh concerns about food safety practices in rural Telangana.

The incident occurred when Kalluri Priyanka purchased a half-litre bottle of Maaza from a grocery outlet operated by Pilli Mallayya located near a school in Ippal Narsingapur village. She had travelled there with her son, Sai Chandan, who was 10 years old at the time.

Within a short span of time after the boy consumed the drink, he experienced acute abdominal discomfort. When family members examined the bottle, they discovered the product had surpassed its use-by date of March 12, 2026.

The family contended that the shopkeeper had failed to verify the expiry date before making the sale, attributing the situation to carelessness on the trader's part.

Sai Chandan was transferred to Huzurabad Government Hospital where he has been admitted for the past two days. Medical staff attending to him have indicated his vital signs remain satisfactory, with no serious risk to his wellbeing, a development that eased concerns among relatives.

Priyanka subsequently registered a formal complaint with police against the shop proprietor, Pilli Mallayya, over the sale of the expired product.

The incident has prompted residents of the surrounding villages, including Bornapalli and Ippal Narsingapur, to voice concerns about retail establishments stocking and selling expired consumables. Community members are calling on authorities to intensify inspections of local shops and implement stronger measures to prevent similar occurrences.