Chaos erupted in Mathurapur, located in the South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, after 15 pupils were rushed to the hospital on Tuesday when they fell sick from eating a contaminated midday meal, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred at Khudadadpur Primary School in Mathurapur Block-I. According to authorities, the children were immediately taken to Mathurapur Rural Hospital, where they are currently receiving medical care.
A district official reassured that all the affected students are stable and no longer in danger.
The situation quickly escalated into tension around the school premises when news spread that students became ill after the meal. Angry parents gathered outside the school gates and began protesting.
In their anger, the parents locked the main school gate, trapping both teaching and non-teaching staff inside for several hours.
Police officers from Mathurapur Police Station arrived at the scene and tried to calm the agitated guardians. After lengthy persuasion, the parents eventually unlocked the gate and allowed staff to leave.
One furious parent said, “The midday meal served today had worms in it. After eating it, the children started vomiting and complained of severe stomach pain.
”Headmistress Uma Pal acknowledged that there was indeed an issue with the meal distributed that day.
“I have already informed my higher authorities,” she stated.Local authorities have initiated a block-level investigation to determine how contaminated food reached the students and who is responsible for the negligence.
