BENGALURU: Nineteen students from Adarsh Nursing College were hospitalized on Sunday night after inhaling fumes from rat poison sprayed on the ground floor of the building where they were staying.
The hostel is located near Amma Ashram in Jnanabharati police station limits. The police have registered a case.
The 19 students are aged between 19-24, most of them are hailing from Kerala and North Indian states.
The police said that the incident occurred at around 9 pm, when the hostel management engaged a private person to spray a rat poison RAT AXE, attempting to drive away rats on the ground floor of the hostel building.
The toxic fumes quickly spread throughout the building, leading to the students and several hostel staff members feeling nauseous, suffering from vomiting and even becoming unconscious. They were rushed to nearby hospitals by local residents.
Among the 19 students, three students Jayanth Varghese, Dilish and Jomon's condition is said to be critical. They are undergoing ICU treatment in a private hospital while other students' condition is said to be stable.
Based on a statement from a hospitalized student named Noyal, police have registered a case under Section 286 of the BNS against hostel management, hostel warden and Manjegowda for negligence in handling poisonous substances. Further investigation is going on.