Police and health officials on Wednesday intensified their investigation into the food poisoning case that affected as many as 300 schoolchildren.
Police and health officials on Wednesday intensified their investigation into the food poisoning case that affected as many as 300 schoolchildren.
On Tuesday, children from Nani Kathechi village of Limbdi taluka in Surendranagar district had to be hospitalised after they consumed sweet puffed rice and chocolates distributed to them by some people outside their school.
Parents of the affected students alleged that members of a particular community had tried to target their children. The children had been given the food stuff as prasad, after consuming which they developed stomach pain and started vomiting coupled with loose motions.
The contaminated
prasad was distributed to the students outside the school by some people. Initially, three children started vomiting in the classroom and they were taken to the principal's office.
But before the principal could understand the situation, nearly 300 students of the school fell ill within two hours. The affected students were rushed to Government Hospital at Limbdi by ‘108’ ambulances and private vehicles.
Because of admission of so many children to the hospital at one time, authorities had to put two children on one bed each - there was not enough beds to accommodate all the children.
As the news of food poisoning spread in the village, parents rushed to the school. Others including, deputy mamlatdar, president and vice president of the taluka panchayat and policemen, also reached the spot.
It was alleged that the food poisoning incident was a conspiracy by one community to settle scores with another. Three parents - Thakarshibhai, Vajabhai and Gidhabhai - alleged that some unknown people had distributed the
prasad only to the children belonging to the Padhar community.
They alleged that it was done by the Koli community.Sub inspector Padvi said that investigation was on and they had sent the samples of prasad for testing. The police said that the prasad had been bought from a food and grocery store at Viramgam. A team of district health officials were camping in the village.
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