NEWS

Five people fell seriously ill after being exposed to some “radioactive material”, reportedly present in medical waste equipment at a scrap dealer’s shop in Mayapuri in west Delhi on Thursday night, police said.The skin of two persons reportedly turned completely black. They also had burn injuries and rashes all over their bodies.

Police said the victims had been exposed to radiation for the past few days.“These people were sleeping in a room where the medical waste equipment had been stored. They showed allergic reactions and started vomiting when exposed to the radiation. We have cordoned off the area around the factory as a precautionary measure,” said Ajay Kashyap, joint commissioner of police (southern range).They were sent to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Preliminary investigations revealed the waste material had come from a city hospital.A team of experts were sent to the factory where the incident took place and the police were investigating the source of the medical equipment.“We have seized the equipment and sent it for further examination. We are taking the help of researchers and experts to know what caused the radiation,” said Sharad Agarwal, DCP (west). The shop is located in a congested locality and police suspect that more people could be affected.