Bhubaneswar/Baripada: The Odisha government Wednesday ordered an investigation after one girl died and over 100 students fell ill after having a meal at a tribal residential school in Mayurbhanj, even as the BJD sought a judicial probe and warned of a 12-hour bandh in the district April 18 if their demand was not met.
Acting on Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s directive, revenue divisional commissioner (Central) Sudhansu Mohan Samal visited the school and interacted with staff, students and parents.
“I visited the school and inspected facilities, including drinking water and cooking arrangements. I also interacted with students undergoing treatment at the Rasgovindpur CHC and doctors,” Samal said.
“I will try to find out the reason behind the incident and steps needed to prevent such occurrences in future,” he added.
Officials said the students of the state-run Kakabandha Ashram School had complained of discomfort and fallen ill after having food items “not mentioned in the authorised menu” Sunday morning.
Parents of the affected students claimed the children had fermented rice (‘pakhala’), mashed potatoes, and mango chutney, following which they suffered from loose motion and vomiting.
More than 100 students fell ill, and they were rushed to the local community health centre, from where 67 of them were shifted to PMR Medical College and Hospital at Baripada, officials said.
“Rupali Besra, a class 5 student, had to be admitted to the ICU of the hospital Monday. Despite continuous medical intervention, she died Tuesday morning,” said Mayurbhanj district collector Hema Kanta Say.
“Of those admitted to the medical college, one died. Twelve students have been discharged, and two are in the ICU, but their condition is stable,” Sashikanta Sethi, a medical officer, said.
Meanwhile, the last rites of the girl who died Tuesday were carried out at her native village, Rasgovindpur.
Another student, Laxmipriya Besra, was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after her condition remained critical, a health official said.
Ahead of the cremation, irate locals clashed with police while staging an agitation, demanding Rs 25 lakh for the victim’s family. The protestors did not allow the body to be taken out of the vehicle when it reached the village.
Betnoti SDPO Minati Biswal said, “People beat up teachers and pelted stones at police personnel. The agitators also threw blazing bamboo sticks at police.”
Around 10 police officials were injured in the clash, she said, adding that security forces had to resort to mild lathicharge to bring the situation under control.
“We will register a case in connection with the violence,” Biswal informed.
A case has already been registered in the death of the girl following a complaint by her mother.
The school’s headteacher, Jayant Kumar Panigrahi, has been suspended on charges of negligence of duty, and the government has announced Rs 7 lakh ex gratia to the family of the deceased student, officials said.
The fact-finding teams of BJD and Congress visited the village and met the family of the deceased student.
The BJD leaders demanded a judicial probe into the incident and Rs 50 lakh compensation for the family. If the demands are not fulfilled, the party would call a 12-hour Mayurbhanj district bandh April 18, a BJD leader said.
The Congress team, led by Sudarshan Das, met the students under treatment and also the family of the deceased girl student. The Congress leaders too demanded Rs 50 lakh ex gratia and a government job for her family.
