In a distressing incident of food poisoning, approximately 80 students from Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ashram Method Inter College in Mehroona village, Deoria district, Uttar Pradesh, fell ill after consuming dinner on Sunday night. The affected students exhibited symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Authorities have confirmed that all the students are currently in stable condition, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the food poisoning.
The District Magistrate, Divya Mittal, stated that the students are receiving necessary medical attention. Two students, Akash and Nitesh, are being treated at Maharishi Devraha Baba Medical College, while the rest received primary treatment at the school from a team of doctors led by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).
In response to the incident, the Food Safety and Drug Administration conducted an inspection of the school’s kitchen and storage facilities. Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, Vinay Kumar Sahay, reported that seven samples were collected for testing, including prepared bread, lentils, vegetables, chili powder, chickpeas, mustard oil, and mixed pickles. These samples were gathered in the presence of the school’s director, Rajkumar Gupta, and a notice regarding storage and kitchen deficiencies was issued.
District Magistrate Mittal and Superintendent of Police Sankalp Sharma visited the medical college to monitor the student's condition. Mittal assured that those responsible for the food safety lapse would face appropriate action.
Sources indicated that the government-run Ashram school has 326 enrolled students from classes 6 to 12. Following dinner on Sunday night, some students began experiencing severe symptoms, prompting the school management to provide medication and advise rest. By Monday morning, the number of affected students had risen to around 80, necessitating hospital visits.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vipin Kumar Dwivedi and Food Inspector Vipin Kumar Sahay were promptly on the scene. Sahay noted that while most students suffered from food poisoning, some also exhibited symptoms of infectious diseases. The students reported eating ‘poori’ and ‘Chola’ for dinner, with the ‘Chola’ having been prepared earlier in the day and served again in the evening.
The health department team has since confirmed that all affected students are now stable. The investigation into the food samples will continue, and further actions will be based on the results of the laboratory tests. The incident underscores the critical need for stringent food safety measures in school kitchens to prevent such occurrences in the future.
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