Deputy Commissioner Iqram Shariff and other senior officers enquiring with a student at a government hospital after schoolchildren fall ill following the evening meal at the Morarji Desai Residential School in Dandoti on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As many as 50 students at the Morarji Desai Residential School in Dandoti village, Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi district, fell ill after consuming their evening meal on Thursday.
The incident, which triggered panic among parents, transpired at around 7.30 p.m. when the children developed symptoms of acute food poisoning and severe indigestion shortly after dinner.
Upon receiving information, a team of top district officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, the Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat, the Superintendent of Police, Inspector-General of Police and the District Health Officer, rushed to the spot at 1 a.m. on Friday.
Accompanied by the Sedam Assistant Commissioner, the Chittapur Tahsildar and the District Minority Welfare Officer, the administration closely monitored the emergency medical care being provided to the children at nearby government hospitals.
Out of the 50 affected students who underwent medical check, 39 required hospitalisation. They have since been discharged following complete recovery.
Initial investigation suggested that a severe lack of quality control in the school’s kitchen resulted in the incident.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge, who represents Chittapur constituency in the State Assembly, has said that preliminary findings indicate that the rice prepared for dinner was undercooked, causing widespread indigestion among the students.
The Minister added that he is in constant communication with the district administration. He warned that strict disciplinary action will be initiated against anyone found guilty of negligence once a comprehensive enquiry report is submitted.
He has also directed senior officials to carry out stringent inspections to ensure the quality of food across all State hostels on priority.
Taking immediate accountability for the administrative failure, the Department of Minority Welfare has suspended the principal and the hostel warden.
The department has also initiated measures to terminate the contract of the outsourced kitchen staff, with directives issued to replace them with trained, reliable personnel.
Meanwhile, the district administration has appealed to the public and anxious parents to refrain from paying heed to unverified rumours, promising them that the welfare of the students remains its utmost priority.
Published – July 10, 2026 07:54 pm IST
