BARIPADA: At least six girl students, four in Class IX and two in Class X, of Ranibandh New Government High School of GB Nagar within Khunta police limits in Mayurbhanj district fell sick on Friday after consuming undercooked rice in dinner on Thursday night.
The students, all boarders of the school hostel, were rushed to Khunta hospital and later shifted to Baripada district headquarters hospital (DHH) after their condition deteriorated. They are Jatishree Hemram, Rajani Soren, Ranjita Barik and Isee Murmu of Class IX and Bansanti Murmu and Sasmita Soren of Class X.
Sources said the hostel inmates were served dinner late in the night and the rice was also undercooked. The six students on Friday morning were on their way to meet the school managing committee over the delay in serving dinner when five of them fainted on the road. While locals rushed them to Khunta hospital, another girl student became unconscious at a nearby petrol pump. She was also rushed to the same hospital. As many as 110 students reside in the school hostel.
Headmaster and hostel superintendent Jagannath Thatoi admitted that the inmates were neglected and said he was not present when the dinner was served. Though he is in charge of the hostel, Thatoi lives at Udala, the sources said.The superintendent post has been lying vacant for several years and two lady cooks are managing the hostel affairs.
Students in the hostel alleged that they are being served dinner late in the night regularly. Besides, the hostel is in a mess with lack of cleanliness and unhygienic condition.
Assistant superintendent of the DHH Dr Pranab Shankar Das said necessary treatment is being provided to the six sick girls.