Gurugram, 4 March

Five people fell sick allegedly after having a mouth freshener which had dry ice mixed in it at a restaurant here after having dinner, police said on Monday. Four of the five have been hospitalised, they said.

According to a complaint lodged by Ankit Kumar, a resident of Greater Noida, he went to a restaurant in Sector 90 here with his wife and four friends for dinner on Saturday. After the dinner, a waiter at the restaurant brought mouth freshener and five people in the group had it. Their health deteriorated soon after and they were taken to a hospital, Kumar said, adding that the restaurant staff fled.

"I showed the packet of the mouth freshener to a doctor, who said it was dry ice. According to the doctor, it is an acid which can lead to death," the complainant said.

Kumar informed police about the incident. After consuming the mouth freshener, the five people complained of a burning sensation in their mouths. Their mouths started bleeding and they were vomiting, police said.

Four of the five people who fell sick have been hospitalised, they said.

Based on the complaint, police said, an FIR was registered under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Kherki Daula police station on Sunday. "We are investigating the matter and action will be taken as per law," said Station House Officer Inspector Manoj Kumar.