Family Hospitalised After Eating Datura Flower Dal Seen On Reel

The incident took place in Errampalem village of Gandepalli Mandal of Kakinada district. According to reports, the family watched a cooking reel on Instagram that suggested adding Datura flowers to branches was good for health. Relying on this information, they collected Datura flowers growing in their garden, cooked them with lentils and consumed them.

Shortly after the meal, all four members of the family began experiencing serious symptoms, including vomiting, dizziness, and loss of consciousness. Their neighbors took them to Kakinada Government Hospital for treatment. The affected persons were identified as Veeralakshmi, Gangabhavani, Jayalakshmi and Veerabbulu.

Datura plant is quite poisonous. Every part of the plant, including its leaves, flowers, seeds and roots, is poisonous. Consumption can cause serious health problems, including rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), fever, blurred vision, hallucinations, and in some cases, death. Datura, locally known as ‘Ummetha Puvvu’ in Telugu, is also referred to as Jimsonweed, thorny plant or devil’s trumpet in English. Flowers are used as offerings during Ganesh Chaturthi festivals but are thrown away after the rituals are over; however, the plant is not safe for consumption.

This incident highlights the growing concern about misinformation on social media. Many people, in the name of content, create and share videos about “healthy” recipes without adequate knowledge or scientific understanding of the ingredients. Such content can be misleading and, in some cases, dangerous.