Sainik School, Amaravathinagar, has ordered an inquiry into the incident in which 221 students of the school suddenly complained of fever, headache, vomiting and stomach upset on Thursday morning.
Group Captain T. N. Sridhar, school principal, told The Hindu that of the affected students, only 40 were kept under observation at the infirmary ward in the school for the day while the rest were asked to return to the school hostel after initial medical aid.
Doctors from the school, Health Department and members of Indian Medical Association attended to the students.
Revenue Divisional Officer (Udumalpet) A. Shadhanaikural, who visited the school to review the situation, said that it looked to be a case of food poisoning.
The RDO added that a preliminary checking of the ingredients used for cooking on the previous day (Wednesday) revealed that the packets of soybean meal (meal maker) added in the dishes did not mention the manufacturing date. “Otherwise, every other ingredient looked perfect. Even the water supplied was well purified,” he said adding that only a deeper inquiry into the incident could reveal the exact reason for the sickness.
On Wednesday, the children had consumed chicken biriyani in the afternoon and chappathi with vegetable dishes for dinner from the school mess.
Meanwhile, the school authorities have declared a five-day holiday for the institution till October 13.
“Parents have been informed that they can take the children to their homes during the holidays if they wished to,” said Group Captain Sridhar.
The school presently has strength of 650 students and all of them stay in the school hostel.
Group Captain Sridhar said a team of officials from Sainik School Society in New Delhi would be conducting an inquiry on Friday.
