KALABURAGI: Several students of the Morarji Desai Residential School at Dandoti in Chittapur taluk were hospitalised after falling ill following dinner on Thursday night.
As Minister Priyank Kharge said action would be taken after receiving a detailed report, the BJP accused of negligence.
Following the incident the in-charge principal and warden have been placed under suspension.
According to officials, students complained of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea after having dinner. While several students reportedly complained of discomfort, about 30 were taken to hospitals in Chittapur, Gundgurthi and Kalaburagi.
Officials said all the students responded well to treatment and were discharged on Friday morning.
As news of the incident spread, anxious parents rushed to the hospitals. Many of the students recovered within hours.
Responding to the incident, Priyank Kharge said he had spoken to the district administration and sought a report.
According to the preliminary information, the rice prepared for dinner was not cooked properly, which resulted in indigestion among the students who ate the meal. Once a detailed report is received, action will be taken against those found responsible for any negligence.
The minister also directed officials to ensure strict monitoring of food quality in government hostels, stating that the safety and well-being of students would remain the government’s priority.
Meanwhile in a post on X, the BJP alleged that poor-quality food and contaminated drinking water had caused the students to fall ill. Targeting Kalaburagi district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge, whose home constituency is Chittapur, the party questioned how the district could be safeguarded when there is a failure to provide clean drinking water and proper food to students in a hostel located in the minister’s own constituency.
“Should innocent children’s lives be put at risk because of this negligence? Instead of merely delivering speeches and posting tweets, he should first take strict action against the corrupt and negligent officials responsible for playing with the lives of students. Before that, the minister himself should accept responsibility,” BJP demanded.