KORAPUT: As many as 44 inmates of Kumbhariput High school and College under Bandhugaon block in Koraput district took ill after consuming stale food for dinner on Saturday.
They were rushed to Bandhugaon Community Health Centre (CHC) and later 10 of them were shifted to Koraput District Headquarters Hospital on Sunday as their condition deteriorated.
Sources said the students complained of vomiting and head reeling after consuming dinner on Saturday. The students are preparing for their examinations and managed to spend the night in the hostel. District Welfare Officer S Trinath Rao rushed to CHC on Sunday and a team of doctors are treating the affected students in the hostel. Though doctors suspect food poisoning to be the reason, the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.
Students from class V to Class XII including girls are residing in the welfare hostel which is functioning under District Welfare Department.