Tension in Bengal's Mathurapur as 15 school children hospitalised after consuming infected midday meal

Kolkata, Nov 4 (IANS) Tension broke out in Mathurapur in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Tuesday after as many as 15 school children had to be hospitalised after they had fallen ill consuming an infected midday meal, officials said.

The institution where the mishap took place was Khudadadpur Primary School in Mathurapur Block-I in the South 24 Parganas district.

The 15 school children are currently under treatment at the Mathurapur Rural Hospital.

However, all of them are currently out of danger, confirmed an official from the district administration.

However, tension broke out in the area after the school children had to be hospitalised following consumption of an infected midday meal.

The guardians of the students studying there started protesting in front of the school building.

Later, they even locked the main gate of the school building, following which the teaching and non-teaching staff there remained locked within the school premises for several hours.

On being informed, the policemen of the local Mathurapur Police Station rushed to the spot and started persuading the agitated guardians to control the protest and open the lock at the main gate of the school building.

After a couple of hours of persuasion, the guardians finally agreed to lift the protest and open the lock.

Thereafter, the teaching and non-teaching staff came out of the school premises.

"The midday meal served to the students of the school on Tuesday was infected with worms. They started vomiting and complaining about severe stomach aches after consuming the meal," said an agitated guardian.

The headmistress of the primary school, Uma Pal accepted the fact that there was a problem with the quality of the midday meal served on Tuesday. I have already reported the matter to my higher authorities," she said.

Meanwhile, a block-level investigation into the matter has already started.

--IANS

src/khz