109 tribal schoolgirls hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli

Gadchiroli: In a case of suspected food poisoning, more than 100 girl students were hospitalised as they fell ill after having lunch at their residential school in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, an official said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at an 'ashram shala' (residential school for tribal children) located in Sode village in Dhanora taluka in the district, he said.

Gadchiroli district's civil surgeon Dr Pramod Khandate said, "On Wednesday, the students were served lunch at the school around 12.30 pm. Some time after having their meal, they started vomiting and also complained of abdominal pain and headache."

"A total of 109 students were admitted to a government hospital. Later, 40 of them were shifted to the general hospital in Gadchiroli, while 69 others are undergoing treatment at the Dhanora rural hospital," he added.

All of them are still hospitalised, Khandate added.

More than 350 girl students study in this ashram school, he said, adding that the samples of food and water have been sent to a laboratory for testing.