Shegaon taluka had hit national headlines in December 2024 and January this year after several persons complained of sudden baldness and tufts of hair falling off rapidly. Some experts at the time had claimed a link to high selenium content in wheat being distributed through ration stores, though others had differed.

“Twenty-nine persons have been found with nail deformities in four villages in Shegaon taluka. In some cases, the nails have fallen off. They have been given primary treatment and will be sent to a hospital in Shegaon for further examination,” Buldhana Health Officer Dr Anil Bankar said.

As per preliminary information, this problem could be the result of high presence of high selenium as those who suffered hair loss are also experiencing problems of nail loss, Bankar said. PTI COR CLS BNM