As many as 137 students of the college for nurses here have fallen sick after having taken hostel food and a first information report (FIR) has been registered in connection with a suspected case of food poisoning, police said on Tuesday.
Based on a complaint from a surveillance officer of Dakshina Kannada district Dr. Jagadish, the police said they registered the FIR. In the complaint, Jagadish said contaminated food was provided to the students on Monday. He alleged that the management erred by not submitting a report to the district administration on the incident.
Today, representatives of the college management, parents, and police officials held a meeting to discuss the issue.
At the meeting, the parents raised issues about the quality of food, water, and facilities at the hostel. Repeated cases of food poisoning were taking place every year and the management did not take the issue up.
The college principal Shanthi Lobo said a few students showed symptoms of vomiting and tiredness and were taken to the hospital on Monday and discharged that evening, while others attended classes.
By evening, over 100 students fell sick and were hospitalised, she said. The college would be shut until the problem is solved, she said.
The principal said the issue raised by the parents would be considered. More than 20 students were still in the hospital and their health was stable, she said.
The management said it would foot the medical bills.
Assistant commissioner of police (south) Dhanya said the management gave an assurance that the problem would be addressed. The police said they would come forward to help the parents if the management failed to set things right, she said.
The medical team and doctors visited the hostel and took samples of food and water for testing. Meanwhile, the district administration instructed a medical team to closely monitor the situation.
