Maharashtra: 38 children hospitalised after consuming mid-day meal at Thane school

The students fell ill after consuming 'khichdi' and 'usal' served during lunch at the school as part of their mid-day meal

Thirty-eight students from Sahkari Vidya Prasarak Mandal's Sahyadri School in Thane's Kharegaon-Kalwa were hospitalised on Tuesday following a case of suspected food poisoning.

The students fell ill after consuming 'khichdi' and 'usal' served during lunch at the school as part of their mid-day meal.

Sandeep Malvi, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), told mid-day, "Yes, a case of food poisoning has come to light. Total 38 students fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal. The incident occurred at a private school in Kalwa, and the Thane Zilla Parishad is the competent authority in this case. The students were admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital under TMC. They are all stable now but will remain under observation for 24 hours."

As their condition worsened, the students complained of dizziness, nausea, headaches, and severe abdominal pain. They were immediately admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital, Kalwa, where they are reported to be in stable condition.

Dr. Anirudh Malgaonkar, Dean of Kalwa Hospital, confirmed the incident. "Initially, 24 students reported stomach pain, and we dispatched an ambulance right away.

A total of 38 students have since been admitted. There is suspicion of food poisoning from the school meal. All the students are stable, and we will continue to monitor them for 24 hours," Malgaonkar said.

A medical officer at the hospital added that while the children are out of danger, food samples have been collected for testing to determine the exact cause. Local civic authorities and the police have launched an investigation into the matter.

This incident has raised concerns among parents about the safety and hygiene of the meals provided at the school. Authorities are expected to take further action once the food test results are released.

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