Visakhapatnam: An investigation has been ordered into the food poisoning incident that killed three children and affected 39 children, who are undergoing treatment at KGH here. Twelve children have been placed under observation. Three others, who are in critical condition, have been shifted to a private hospital.
The Anakapalli city police have arrested M. Kiran Kumar, the owner of the organisation, and charged him under section 105 of the Bharat Nyaya Samhita. He was presented in court on Tuesday.
Thirty-seven children were admitted to KGH due to food poisoning at an orphanage on Monday morning, which is run by an organisation in Kailasapatnam village, located in the Kotauratla block of Anakapalli district. Three children, identified as Jashuva, Bhavani, Nitya, and Shradha, all aged eight to nine years, lost their lives.
In a conversation with the Deccan Chronicle, Anakapalli SP Deepika said they received information about two children who died on Sunday in Chintapalli mandal, ASR district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the children, who were from an ashram run by the PASHA trust, had consumed food that led to food poisoning.
The SP explained that the food, prepared on Saturday morning was donated from a ceremony. The children were served the food for dinner and when they showed symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea on Sunday, Kiran Kumar contacted their parents and sent them home, instead of admitting them to hospital. She said that 86 children were at the orphanage and 53 of them were traced and shifted to the hospital, and search was going on for the other children. The SP added that they are locating other children residing in similar organisations and will soon take steps to transfer them to government hostels.
On Tuesday, KGH superintendent Sivananda said the collector informed him on Monday night that 15 children are scheduled to be transferred to the hospital. A 25-bed facility has been prepared for this purpose. Each of the five children has been moved, bringing the total to 39 as of Tuesday. The children placed under observation for 72 hours, will be discharged later. Three others, who are critical, have been shifted to the private hospital or renal replacement therapy.
