38 Children Hospitalised After Suspected Food Poisoning at Thane School

Thane: A serious incident of suspected food poisoning has occurred at the Sahyadri School, run by the Sahkari Vidya Prasarak Mandal in Kharegaon-Kalwa, where 38 students were hospitalised on Tuesday after consuming their mid-day meal. The students experienced severe symptoms, including dizziness, nausea, headaches, and abdominal pain after eating 'khichdi' and 'usal' served during lunch.

Sandeep Malvi, Additional Municipal Commissioner of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), confirmed the situation, stating, "Yes, a case of food poisoning has come to light. A total of 38 students fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal. The incident occurred at a private school in Kalwa, and the Thane Zilla Parishad is the competent authority in this case."

The affected students were swiftly admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa, where they are reported to be in stable condition but will remain under observation for 24 hours. Dr. Anirudh Malgaonkar, Dean of the hospital, noted that the first reports came from 24 students experiencing stomach pain, prompting immediate action.

A medical officer confirmed that while the children are currently out of danger, food samples have been collected for testing to ascertain the cause of the illness. Local civic authorities and police have initiated an investigation into the matter, as this incident has raised significant concerns among parents regarding the safety and hygiene of the meals provided at the school.

Authorities are expected to take further action based on the results of the food tests, as the community awaits answers about this troubling event.