In early 2025, the hair loss incident in Buldhana caught attention because of its rarity and widespread nature. More than 279 people from 18 villages of the Buldhana district of Maharashtra were affected by a sudden onset of hair loss. Many lost all their hair within days after the start of symptoms, locally called ‘’baldness virus’.
Panic ensued and health authorities launched investigations —the ICMR (Indian Council Of Medical Research) and AIIMS (All India Institute Of Medical Science) being some agencies to investigate this disease outbreak. In January, the suspected cause was water contamination, fungal infection or nutrition deficiencies. However, in February, Dr. Himmatrao Bawaskar published his study linking the outbreak to high selenium content in wheat supplied via PDS from Punjab and Haryana.
Understanding Selenium : Role and Toxicity
Human health depends on the vital trace mineral seenium. It is fundamental in immune system function, DNA synthesis, and thyroid hormone metabolism. The Office of Dietary Supplements (Selenium Health Professional) advises individuals to consume roughly 55 micrograms (mcg) daily; toxicity hazards begin to develop at chronic levels exceeding 400 mcg daily. Among the symptoms of selenium toxicity are hair loss, nail brittleness, skin rashes and lesions, peripheral neuropathy, tiredness or irritability (Acute Selenium Toxicity). Given the limited margin between beneficial and harmful levels, monitoring selenium in diet becomes crucial particularly for basic foods like wheat.
Origin of High Selenium in Wheat
Studies show that some places in Punjab and Haryana have soils with selenium, where the selenium amounts go over 2 mg/kg in certain spots, unlike under 0.5 mg/kg in nearby areas (Exposure to High Selenium Environment). This high soil selenium shows u͏p in plants, with wheat from the Nawanshahr-Hoshiarpur area having levels up to 185 mg/kg, much higher than the regular range of 0.05 to 0.153 mg/kg found at other locations Dr. Bawaskar’s research found that PDS grain in Buldhana had selenium levels 600 times bigger than local types, pointing to pollution from these high-selenium places.
The Public Distribution System and Wheat Sourcing
Under management by Food Corporation of India (FCI), the PDS in India provides subsidized food grains—including wheat—to low-income households. Major participants in the central wheat pool are Punjab and Haryana; Punjab alone accounted for 47% of procurement in the most recent rabi season (Buldhana Hair Loss Cases). Current quality control measures focus on moisture, damaged grains, and other physical parameters, but selenium testing is not standard, highlighting a gap in safety protocols (Quality Control FCI).
Timeline and Impact of the Incident
Beginning in January 2025, the episode started with first reports of hair loss in three villages—Bondgaon, Kalwad, and Hingna—affecting thirty to forty persons (Sudden Hair Loss in Buldhana). Cases increased to over 155 across 12 villages by mid-January; symptoms included itchy scalp, headaches, and fast balding days (Citizens of 8 More Villages). Particularly for college students and young ladies, the social impact was significant; disrupted education and planned marriages led to some resorting to head shaving to minimize stigma.
Investigation and Findings
Initial investigations by district health officials and ICMR teams explored multiple hypotheses, including water contamination and fungal infections, with early tests showing elevated nitrate levels in water but no fungal presence (High Contaminants in Water). Dr. Bawaskar’s month-long study, self-funded at Rs 92,000, analyzed samples and found selenium levels in blood, urine, and hair samples increased by 35-fold, 60-fold, and 150-fold, respectively, compared to controls, with wheat samples showing 600 times higher selenium than local varieties (Toxic Wheat Behind Baldness).
The ICMR’s interim report, submitted in late January, corroborated high selenium in affected individuals, though the government noted no conclusive proof yet, investigating other food items and water (ICMR Interim Report).
The district health officials and ICMR teams investigated two main hypotheses by studying water contamination and fungal diseases but nitrate testing found high levels but no fungal growth (High Contaminants in Water). Dr. Research led by Bawaskar ran for a month with personal funding at Rs 92,000 and revealed that selenium reached significantly higher levels in blood and urine and hair by 35-fold, 60-fold, and 150-fold more than control samples while wheat specimens contained selenium at 600 times the level of local wheat varieties.
The ICMR submitted its interim report in late January confirming elevated selenium content in affected patients but the government continued its investigation into water and other food items without final confirmation (ICMR Interim Report).
Preventive Measures and Policy Recommendations
Boosting PDS quality control through regular testing of selenium and other heavy metals remains crucial as an important step to stop future repetition especially for grain products with high selenium content. Different procurement methods and agricultural practices which decrease selenium accumulation should be used as risk reduction measures (Selenium Status in Soils). Community education about both selenium toxity principles and dangerous indicators will promote prompt diagnosis.
Home Detection of Selenium: Feasibility and Limitations
The analysis of selenium in wheat at home requires specialized equipment such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) and atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS) according to expert evaluations. Laboratory analysis which uses atomic absorption spectroscopy stands as an exact method although the homemade techniques constrain the analysis yet provide usable results.
- Visual Inspection: Wheat with elevated selenium content looks regular until the onset of garlicky smells suggesting a toxic condition.
- Simple Chemical Test:
- Grind wheat into flour.
- Stir the material with an appropriate amount of water together with sodium sulfide bought from pharmacies.
- The appearance of red precipitate could potentially indicate selenium even though the detection method lacks precision without proper calibration.
- Bioassay: A bioassay includes boiling wheat followed by water cooling then exposing the solution to yeast. The inhibition of yeast growth needs further examination using known samples to verify the effects of excessive selenium consumption.
- Professional Testing: Professional evaluation requires sending test samples to ICMR-NIREH or local agricultural universities for efficient accuracy.
(Tests conducted at home constitute basic methods that professionals must verify before acceptance.)
Data and Tables
To illustrate the selenium content variations, consider the following table based on research findings:
| Region | Typical Selenium Content (mg/kg) | Maximum Recorded (mg/kg) |
| General (Global Average) | 0.05 – 0.153 | – |
| Punjab (Nawanshahr-Hoshiarpur) | – | 185 |
| Buldhana PDS Wheat | Estimated 30 (600x local) | – |
This table highlights the significant disparity, with PDS wheat in Buldhana potentially reaching toxic levels based on Dr. Bawaskar’s findings.
Discussion
The Buldhana incident revealed fundamental failures within India’s nationwide food supply systems. Selenium contamination has previously affected Punjab in 2004 and Jaipur in 2016 but insufficient preventive measures let the current crisis occur. Although inaccessible to public scrutiny the ICMR provided interim findings that match Dr. Bawaskar’s observations yet officials have been criticized for their inaction according to X social media posts (such as @RPrasad12 on March 1, 2025).
People who eliminated PDS wheat consumption observed hair regrowth between 5–6 weeks which showed their damage was reversible. Research studying the long-lasting neurological hazards from PDS wheat exposure remains limited.
Conclusion
The Buldhana hair loss incident reveals the necessity of implementing powerful food safety procedures throughout the PDS system to shield defenseless populations. Current research indicates wheat contains high selenium but expert opinions remain divided about the wheat-specific nature of the connection. Future initiatives need to enhance the testing approach while implementing policy changes together with community-based healthcare responses to stop future food safety crises and maintain food security integrity.
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