MANDYA: The death toll in the suspected food poisoning incident in a school in Malavalli taluk, Mandya district, rose to two with another student succumbing at a private hospital in Mysuru on Tuesday.
While Kerlong (13), a student of Gokula Vidya Samsthe in T Kagepura village, died on Sunday, Nami Banthai succumbed on Tuesday. Both the students hailed from Meghalaya.
According to the police, a businessman from Malavalli organised a feast for his relatives and friends as part of Holi celebrations and sent the leftover vegetable pulav and chutney to the hostel, which was being run by the school illegally.
As many as 40 students took ill after consuming the food, and five of them were admitted to a private hospital in Mysuru in critical condition.
Meanwhile, the police has sealed the hotel that supplied the food and arrested a few persons, including the hotel owner, hostel warden, and secretary of the private school management.
SAFE FOOD: KCRO DEMANDS SURVEY OF SCHOOLS, HOSTELS
BENGALURU: Following the death of two boys due to suspected food poisoning in Malavalli taluk, Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO) has urged the government to strengthen safety measures in schools and hostels. In a letter to Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, the state convener called for a statewide survey of educational institutions to ensure compliance with child safety regulations.
The letter read, “Many residential schools and hostels operate without proper facilities, necessary permissions or adherence to regulations, putting children at risk. Food safety in schools, hostels and student accommodations must be prioritised....”