Girl Dies, 34 Fall Ill Due to Food Poisoning
An eight-year-old girl died, and 34 other children fell ill due to suspected food poisoning at the Mata Rukhmani residential school in Dhanora village, Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. The incident occurred on December 8, when some students complained of uneasiness and vomiting after dinner. They were initially taken to a local hospital on Monday, December 9.
Bijapur Collector Sambit Mishra confirmed that 35 children were taken to the Bijapur district hospital after exhibiting symptoms of vomiting and dysentery. Among them, two children’s conditions worsened, leading to their referral to Jagdalpur for further treatment. Tragically, one of the children, Shivani Telam, a third-grade student, passed away during the transfer.
The exact cause of the illness remains under investigation, though food poisoning is suspected. Dr. B.R. Pujari, the District Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), indicated that food poisoning could be the cause, but further investigations are underway to confirm this.
As per initial reports, around 88 children study at the government-aided institution. They had consumed paneer for dinner, along with kheer and puri earlier in the day, raising concerns about the food’s safety.
Family members of the deceased girl have blamed the school superintendent for the incident and are demanding action against those responsible. The condition of the other ill children is said to be stable, and they are out of danger.
