Rasgovindpur: Nearly 140 students of a government-run tribal Ashram residential school at Kakabandha in Rasgovindpur block of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district fell ill on Sunday after consuming breakfast.
According to sources, the students, studying in Classes I to VIII at the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Welfare Department-managed school, which houses around 240-290 boarders, complained of symptoms including stomach pain, vomiting, loose motions, and headache shortly after their morning meal. They were initially rushed to the Rasgovindpur Community Health Centre (CHC) in auto-rickshaws, with some reports indicating 20-25 students crammed into single vehicles due to ambulance delays.
Attending doctors at the CHC attributed the suspected diarrhoea outbreak to consumption of contaminated or stale food.
Headmaster Jayant Kumar Panigrahi, who also serves as the hostel superintendent, stated that the meal served consisted of pakhala (fermented rice), potato chutney, and fried items as per the prescribed menu. However, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Malati Marndi, who visited the site, noted a discrepancy: upma was listed on the official menu, but pakhala was served instead. She added that some students had skipped previous meals, possibly exacerbating their condition.
Parents accused hostel staff of serving leftover food and failing to act promptly, alleging that the headmaster called an ambulance at 3.30 pm after they reached the hostel. They have demanded a thorough investigation and action against those responsible.
CDPO Marndi confirmed that a formal inquiry will be conducted to determine the exact cause.
