Angul/Athamallik: At least 17 students were taken ill after they ate toxic seeds of yellow oleander tree at Anantpalli Project High School premises under this subdivision in Angul district Thursday.
The affected students were first admitted to Athamallik sub-divisional hospital from where they were shifted to the district headquarters hospital after district collector Anil Kumar Samal intervened.
Those who took ill were identified as Ayushman Sahu, Pratibha Bhokta, Pritam Patra, Akash Behera, Sophia Behera, Pupun Sahu, Santanu Kumar Jani, Deba Narayan Behera, Manisha Naiak, Surya Kant Behera, Supriya Behera, Sushree Swagatika, Aparajita Mirdha, Rahul Behera, Rupali Behera, Sunil Mukhi, Saraswati Pradhan and Swagatika Hati
Their health condition improved after treatment. The students have been under observation and will be discharged after they fully recover, a doctor at the district headquarters hospital said.
The incident sparked tension in the area as the guardians held the school authorities responsible for the incident. The incident occurred during the recess in the afternoon. Sources said one of the girls picked up a fruit of the tree and showed it to her friends.
This aroused curiosity among students when they collected the fruits and consumed it among themselves. A teacher noticing the students sent them back home instead of taking them to hospital, alleged Sushil Nayak, a guardian.
This resulted in nausea and vomiting among the students, Nayak informed local mediapersons on whose intervention the teacher called the students back and rushed them to Athamallik hospital first and later to the district headquarters hospital. Athamallik sub-collector Subhash Chandra Ray directed tehsildar Dibyalochan Mohanta to take stock of the situation and later met the affected students and enquired about their health conditions. PNN
