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Contaminated milk results in deaths in a district inAndhra Pradesh A devastating incident involving contaminated milk has been reported from Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh.The first major reports appeared on 28 February 2026, indicating that this incident had claimed 5 lives and left at least 14 others hospitalized after they consumed contaminated milk.Local authorities in the East Godavari district traced the outbreak to a single unauthorized milk vendor operating in the Lalacheruvu area.Investigations suggest that the milk became toxic due to a chemical leak within a refrigeration unit.Specifically, officials suspect that ethylene glycol-an industrial coolant-seeped into the storage containers used by the vendor and mixed with stored milk.While common adulterants like urea typically cause health issues after prolonged use, ethylene glycol is far more aggressive, triggering severe complications and acute renal failure within just 3-4 days.The victims reportedly suffered from abdominal pain, anuria and had acute kidney injury shortly after consumption.The vendor reportedly procured milk from dozens of farmers and supplied it to over 100 households.Following the cluster of deaths, the dairy unit was immediately sealed, and the vendor was detained by the police.A criminal case, on charges of murder, has been registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.District authorities confirmed that epidemiological data strongly link all affected individuals to the supply by this vendor.To confirm the exact cause, specimens of the milk and the cooling equipment have been dispatched to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Vijayawada for detailed toxicological analysis.Final legal proceedings and the conclusions of the investigation are pending the arrival of the forensic results and official post-mortem reports.This tragic event once again highlights the grave risks associated with unregulated food supply chains and the critical need for maintaining industrial cooling systems.