Bhubaneswar/Baripada: The revenue divisional commissioner of the central division in Odisha Wednesday began a probe into the circumstances that led to over 100 students falling ill and one of them dying after having a meal at a government-run tribal residential school in Mayurbhanj district.
On Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s order, Revenue Divisional Commissioner Sudhansu Mohan Samal reached the school and interacted with the school’s staff, parents and students, officials said.
Officials said the students of the 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 the PMR Medical College and Hospital at Baripada in a serious state, officials said.
“Rupali Besra, a student of Class 5, had to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital Monday. Despite continuous medical intervention, she died Tuesday morning,” said Mayurbhanj district collector Hema Kanta Say.
Around 45 students were under treatment at a local community health centre, while 72 have been shifted to the PMR Medical College and Hospital in Baripada, said Sashikanta Sethi, the superintendent of the medical college.
“Of those admitted to the medical college, one has died. Twelve students have been discharged, and two are in the ICU; but their condition is stable,” Sethi said.
Meanwhile, the last rites of the girl who died Tuesday were carried out at her native village, Rasgovindpur.
Ahead of the cremation, irate locals clashed with the 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 Sub-Divisional Police Officer Minati Biswal said, “People beat up teachers and pelted stones at police personnel. The agitators also threw blazing bamboo sticks at the police.”
About 10 police officials were injured in the clash, she said, adding that police had to resort to a mild lathi charge 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 based on a complaint from her mother.
The school’s headteacher, Jayant Kumar Panigrahi, has been suspended on charges of negligence on duty, and the government has announced Rs 7 lakh ex gratia to the family of the deceased student, officials said.
The BJD has formed a fact-finding team, which will visit the school and meet the family of the deceased student.
