Agra food poisoning scam

torryquine

Sorry if this is an old subject thats been gone over before, but I can't find any threads on the subject.

A few years ago there was a major scam in Agra where hotels and retaurants were deliberately poisoning diners, who were then treated at great expense by private clinics. Obviously there was a cut in it for the restaurant.

The scam was discovered by an insurance company, but it's rumored that it still goes on. Guidebooks etc. are rather coy about naming and shaming those responsible and get round it by not listing those where ther has been some allegation of this sort. Therefore, when I notice that the hotel we have booked for Agra (Jaypee Palace) does not get mentioned in any guides, I start to worry.....

Does anyone have any recent or specific information on this?

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Alan D

This certainly was happening a few years ago, but I haven't seen any recent reports of this scam.

edwardseco

I suspect it was one more incident blown into urban myth. Watch out for your kidneys..

indiaguide

Jaypee Palace???

It's nice hotel. I never heard about food scam at Jaypee

torryquine

Thanks Indiaguide, very pleased to hear that

04274108

I agree with edwardseco. This certainly did happen a few years ago but it was never mentioned with all the travellers we met this month in Agra. With all the people staying at the different hotels and eating at the different places around town, no one mentioned getting poisoned or sick.

Given this, I have to plug Joney's Place (walk out the South Gate at the Taj and it will be on your left). We ate there every day and met tons of other travellers. Great food, great company and the banana lassis and cold coffees are the best. A nice slice of peace and quiet away from the busy touts.

mARIKO

Hi,
I was in Agra in July and my brother and I were extremely sick from food poisoning. WE ate at the bus station in Agra and then went to Jaipur and I think the restaurant at the station was affiliated with the hotel they pushed us to go to. I couldn't eat for about 2 weeks, and was throwing up bottled water for 3 days. WE were both in a government hospital on IV's and for 2 months after I had nausea all the time. I have never been so sick before and the entire situation was manipulated. The hotel had a 24 hr doctor on duty, and they kept pushing us to be seen there. We were vomiting saliva after 2 days of not eating. It was the worst experience I have had. Pls be very careful if you go there, as some of the scams are unavoidable it seems.
My brother has travelled a lot through India and never experienced a scame this bad....

edwardseco

I got it too. My mistake was eating where I worked. What can I say about a joint that pays minimum wage plus whatever uneaten food comes back..

notyouraveragedame

I stayed one night at the Jaypee Palace in Agra a year ago. I don't remember eating there, other than out of the snack basket in the room, but the hotel is BEAUTIFUL! I heard no complaints while there and I believe it is listed in at least one of my India travel books. It certainly isn't some out-of-the-way, never-heard-of-it hotel. There is a whole chain owned by the same people/company, I believe. Granted, none of this guarantees against scams, but I had no negative experiences in my short time there and would stay again in a heartbeat.

Picture of inside of Jaypee Palace
Picture of outside Jaypee Palace

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