Nearly 360 children were hospitalised as they fell ill after having mid-day meals at the Government Urdu Higher Primary School at D.J. Halli on Friday afternoon, causing panic and anxiety among parents. The food was supplied by the Akshaya Patra Foundation of ISKCON.
School authorities were alarmed after finding a dead lizard in the rice while they were distributing food among students.
T. Zarina Khanum, who heads the school, said, “We immediately asked all the students to stop eating and return the food. Twenty-seven students, who vomited, were rushed to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital immediately.”
Worried about the other children who had the food, they decided to move all of them to the hospital, she added. Chaos reigned as hundreds thronged the hospital.
At least 51 children were being treated as inpatients, while the rest were discharged after medical attention.
Dr. V. Krishna Rao, medical superintendent of the hospital, said that all the children were stable and their medical condition is not alarming. “Children complained of vomiting and stomach ache. However, most were rushed to the hospital as a precautionary measure and had not developed any health problem,” he said.
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader visited the hospital and spoke to the parents and children. He appealed to the parents not to panic.
Police registered a case against officials of Akshaya Patra Foundation under Section 284 of Indian Penal Code for negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance. They have sent food samples for forensic and chemical examination.
The foundation claimed that the meals were ‘mass cooked’ and were supplied to other schools too. No complaint was reported from any other school.