22 students, principal from Pune school hospitalized after eating mid-day meal

Students of Rambhau Mhalgi secondary school, and their principal, complained of nausea and stomach ache after eating a typical meal of khichdi prepared by a self-help group that was awarded a contract for providing meals by the school.

All students were rushed to the nearby Bharati Hospital, where authorities said that four students have been admitted while the rest were discharged after a while.

As many as 22 students and the principal of Rambhau Mhalgi secondary school in Katraj fell ill in a case of suspected food poisoning after consuming a mid-day meal on Wednesday.

According to the Bharati Vidyapeeth police station officials, the students and their principal complained of nausea and stomach ache after eating a typical meal of khichdi prepared by a self-help group (SHG) that was awarded a contract for providing meals by the school.

All students were rushed to the nearby Bharati Hospital, where authorities said that four students have been admitted while the rest were discharged after a while.

“

Prima facie , it appears to be a case of food poisoning. Of these four, one has been admitted to the ICU as a precautionary measure,” said Dr. Sanjay Lalwani, Medical Director, Bharati Hospital, adding that the food samples would be sent for further testing.

Remarking that the SHG serving the meal would be given a warning, Meenakshi Raut, Deputy Director of Education, Pune, said 120 students from Classes VIII, IX and X along with some teachers and the principal had consumed the meal following which some of them fell sick.

“A report on this would be sent to the Education Commissioner who would then decide on the proper course of action to be taken against the SHG,” she said.