Food poisoning: 35 students take ill

More than 35 students were admitted to a hospital as they complained of stomach pain and exhaustion after having breakfast at Morarji Desai Model Residential School, Dudda, near here on Tuesday.

Locals suspected food poisoning to be the reason for students taking ill, as students of the school had earlier - on two separate occasions - been admitted to hospital due to food poisoning.

Students had been served palav on Tuesday morning. After consuming this, more than 35 students complained of stomach pain and exhaustion. They were immediately transferred to Dudda government hospital.

Five other students, who were in a critical condition, were shifted to government hospital at Hassan. A few students, who returned to normalcy were discharged in the evening.

Locals, who heard about the incident, rushed to the school. However, neither the principal nor warden were present. Locals complained that the food poisoning had occurred as students were given stale food.

Zilla panchayat president B R Satyanarayan, member Lakshmanagowda and others visited the students at the hospital. They directed officials to send the food for a lab test.