17 students take ill after mid-day meals in Besur

In yet another incident of mid-day meal poisoning, students of Government Highschool in Besur gram panchayat limits near Shanivarsanthe, fell ill, allegedly after consuming ‘payasam’ that was offered to them along with mid-day meal, on Friday.

Students have been admitted to Government Hospital in Kodlipet for treatment.

‘Payasam’ (a sweat dish) made out of wheat was offered to 115 students of VIII, IX and X standard. Soon after they consumed the sweet dish, 17 of them began vomiting and complained that they were suffering from severe stomach ache.

Students were immediately taken to the Government Hospital in Kodlipet, located five kilometres away from the school.Dr N Sanjay at the government hospital, offered first aid to 13 students and sent five students to Hassan for further treatment. There has been improvement in the condition of some of the students. The hospital will treat every student who has been admitted here, he said.

Soon after the news began to spread, parents began rushing towards the school and the hospital. There was a huge crowd gathered at the hospital. Some of the parents expressed their anguish at the school management committee. Parents themselves took their children to Hassan, in private vehicles.

DySP Nagappa, PSI Anand Kumar In-charge Tahsildar Jayaram visited the hospital.