Kids, teachers take ill after drinking 'poisoned' water

 As many as 29 students and four teachers of the government high school at Benkatti in Soudatti taluk of the district complained of illness after they consumed water from the school tank on Monday, in which miscreants had allegedly mixed poison.

The students were admitted to the district hospital for treatment and their condition is stated to be stable.

The students who consumed water earlier in the day began to show symptoms of poisoning. They were immediately shifted to the primary health centre at Yargatti for treatment and later shifted to the district hospital.

Deputy Director of Public Instruction Diwakar Shetty H told Deccan Herald that some miscreants had mixed poison with water in the tank, due to which the students took ill.
The police are investigating to trace the miscreants responsible for the act.

The tahsildar and senior police officials visited the school and examined the tank from which the students consumed water. The condition of the teachers and students was stable and they were being treated at the district hospital, the tahsildar said.

It is said the miscreants may have mixed poison with water in the tank after school hours on Saturday or Sunday. But the reasons for the act were not known. Investigations would bring out the truth, Shetty said.

Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer V Shankar, district health officer D C Munoli and Shetty enquired about the health of the students and teachers at the district hospital.