Visakhapatnam: Three adivasi children died and 37 more have been hospitalised due to suspected food poisoning in a shelter home run by a religious entity in Kailasanathan area under Kotavuratla mandal in Anakapalli district, officials said on Monday.
The tribal students fell ill after taking food at the home run by the Parisudhathmave Agnistuti Aradhana Trust on Saturday night. The trust management called the parents and sent some of the seriously affected students to their homes. Two of these students died on Sunday night and one on Monday at their homes.
The deceased were Gemmela Bhavani (8), Korra Shraddha (6) and Tambela Jashuva (6), natives of tribal pockets under Chintapalli and Koyyuru mandals in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district.
The students had taken samosa and chocolates during a meeting in the shelter home on Saturday afternoon. They had chicken biryani, rice, vegetable curry and sambar, sponsored by some persons, on Saturday night. Some of these students complained of vomiting and uneasiness in the wee hours on Sunday.
Officials said, “Instead of shifting the affected students to hospitals, the local head of the trust, M Kiran Kumar, called the parents and guardians of the students, asking them to take their children home. On Sunday, parents came to the hostel and took their children to their homes.”
Inspector of Nakkapalle, G Appanna, said two children Bhavani and Jashuva died on Sunday night while Shraddha died on Monday morning in their villages of ASR district.
With the death of three students, the remaining students of the home were admitted to various hospitals at Narsipatnam, Anakapalle, Chintapalle for treatment. A total of 14 students were brought to King George Hospital in Vizag city on Monday, where the condition of one student was stated critical.
Anakapalle district collector, Vijaya Krishnan, said an investigation has been ordered. “Some 37 children are availing treatment in different hospitals. As of now 55 children of the hostel were traced and efforts are on to trace the remaining children,” she said.
The Anakapalle SP, Deepika Patil, said they have taken the local head of the trust into their custody.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu asked officials to ensure proper treatment to the affected students. He also ordered a high-level investigation.
Speaker Ch Ayyanna Patrudu spoke to Anakapalle collector and KGH superintendent.
Education minister Nara Lokesh spoke to health minister Satya Kumar and collectors of Anakapalle and ASR district collectors to ascertain facts.
