Fifty female students of a government college who were hospitalised for suspected food poisoning after having dinner at their hostel in Maharashtra's Latur city were discharged on Sunday evening, a senior health official told news agency PTI. The hostel, part of the Puranmal Lahoti Government Polytechnic, has 324 female students.
"At around 7 pm on Saturday, the students had dinner, consisting of rice, chapattis, 'okra' curry and lentil soup. By 8.30 pm, several of them felt nauseous and some of the students started vomiting. The affected students were immediately taken to Vilasrao Deshmukh Government Medical College and Hospital," an official said.
"Nearly 50 students were admitted to the hospital for treatment by midnight. Treatment started immediately and they were administered saline. Twenty of them were discharged by 3 am and the rest by Sunday evening," GMCH Dean Dr Uday Mohite said. The polytechnic's principal VD Nitnawre said Shivajinagar police was informed about the incident and they have collected food samples and other items as part of their probe.
"The contract for the college mess has been given to one Manisha Dobgave and police are inquiring with her in connection with this incident," he added. The principal said photographs of lizards and insects in meals doing the rounds of social media, which are being linked to the incident at the polytechnic, are false.
"The reports related to the food samples will be available by Monday or Tuesday," said Resident Deputy Collector Keshav Netke. Latur Lok Sabha MP Shivaji Kalge visited the hospital late Saturday night and asked Collector Varsha Thakur-Ghuge to ensure the affected girls are given relief and advanced treatment.