Parlakhemundi: A Class-II girl student lost her life while five others were taken ill after consuming dinner at a residential school in S Maringi village under Garabandha police limits of Gajapati district in the wee hours Sunday.
The deceased has been identified as Tuni Rohit, a native of R Udayaygiri block.
As per reports, the students of the school had rice, pulses and a sweet dish made from tomatoes in their dinner, and soon after that few children complained of stomachache and experienced vomiting and uneasiness.
Many felt drowsy and had high fever, sources said. The school authorities admitted the children to the local hospital. However, the condition of Tuni worsened following which she breathed her last during treatment early Sunday.
Similarly, the other five students who had also complained of discomfiture and indigestion were kept under observation at the hospital. Fearing for the lives of their children, many parents discharged their children from the hospital and took them home, sources added.
Locals demanded a probe and threatened to lock down the hostel if no steps were taken against those found guilty.
“The school warden called me at 3 AM and informed me about my daughter’s condition,” the father of the deceased student, Biswanatha Sabara said.
Briefing about the incident, Parlakhemundi district welfare officer Santosh Rath said, “We have sent the sick students to the hospital and have launched a probe into the incident. The deceased girl’s body is being examined and as soon as the report comes out, action will be taken accordingly.”
PNN