Over 170 Students at Morarji Desai School Near Chikkodi Fall Ill from Suspected Food Poisoning

Speedy Summary

• Incident: 177 students from Morarji Desai Residential School (MDRS) in Hirekodi, Chikkodi (Belagavi district), fell ill after consuming breakfast on september 12, 2025.
• Symptoms and Treatment: Students experienced uneasiness, stomach aches, vomiting, and weakness. Of these:

– 81 students were hospitalized.
– Taluk hospital: 37 boys and 33 girls admitted.
– Mother-and-child hospital: Three boys and seven girls admitted.- one girl’s condition was serious enough to require admission at the district hospital in Belagavi.
– Remaining students received outpatient care; all are recovering according to officials.

• Response: Health department officials visited the school and hospitals to assess the situation.
• School Details: MDRS is run by karnataka’s Department of Minority Welfare with approximately 400 students enrolled across Classes 6-12.
• Government Action: MLC Prakash Hukkeri visited affected students at the hospital, assured parents of full assistance, and called for calm while warning officers of strict action in case of negligence.He also ensured proper stock of medicines.

Indian Opinion Analysis

This incident raises meaningful concerns about food safety standards within educational institutions catering to children from minority communities. The Morarji Desai Residential School system serves vulnerable populations who rely heavily on government provisions for meals and accommodation; such cases highlight a critical gap in hygiene monitoring processes that demand immediate corrective measures.

The proactive response by officials-including hospitalization efforts and assurances from MLC Prakash Hukkeri-offers some reassurance regarding accountability mechanisms but underscores the need for regular audits of schools’ food supply chains. Moving forward, systemic improvements in kitchen hygiene practices paired with external oversight could help prevent recurrence while boosting trust among parents.

efforts ensuring rapid recovery reflect competent emergency handling but integrating stricter preventive measures tailored specifically for residential schools would address root causes effectively.

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