Maharashtra School food poisoning: FIR against management as 45 students hospitalised after eating mid-day meal

Police have registered an FIR against a private school management after 45 children took ill due to suspected food poisoning following consumption of mid-day meal at the institution near Maharashtra's Thane city, officials said on Wednesday.

Initially, 38 students, aged between 8 and 11 years, were admitted to a civic hospital in Kalwa town after they complained of giddiness, nausea, headache and pain in the abdomen after lunch on Tuesday.

Seven more children were hospitalised late night, taking the total number of minors admitted to the medical facility to 45, officials said.

Following a complaint by the parents of a child, the Kalwa police have registered an FIR against the school management and the food supplier under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 125 (endanger personal safety or life of others through rashness or negligence) and FDA regulations, an official said.

No arrest has been made so far and a probe is on into the case, the police said. The children were being monitored, the hospital's medical in-charge, Dr Aniruddha Malgaonkar, told PTI.

Thirty seven of them were in good health and after the 24-hour admission protocol, they will be discharged at 5 pm, an official from the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) said.

The remaining eight children showed symptoms of fever and vomiting. They have to keep under observation for another 12 hours, he said.

TMC Additional Commissioner Sandeep Malvi on Tuesday confirmed the children had eaten a mid-day meal at the private school.

Another medical official had said the students were served rice and moth bean (matki) curry as the meal.

Samples of food served to students have been collected by FDA officials.

Initially, five students complained of uneasiness and their number swelled gradually, according to officials.

"Ambulances were summoned by the school administration and the students were rushed to the hospital," they added.

The parents of the children were also present at the hospital.