The children being taken to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital on Sunday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Siliguri, Nov. 8: Ninety-one students of Seventh Day Adventist English Medium School, a residential institution for under-privileged children at Naxalbari, fell ill after their breakfast today.

The children were admitted to Naxalbari Rural Hospital, where they were administered saline. Doctors attending to the students said all were out of danger.

“Most of the students were drowsy when they came here with vomiting and stomach ache. We administered them saline. While 40 students were discharged after preliminary treatment, 51 children are recuperating at the hospital now. They are out of danger and but still, we are keeping them under observation,” said Tulsi Pramanik, the assistant chief medical officer of health (ACMOH) of the Naxalbari subdivision.

Asked about the cause of the illness, Pramanik said: “It seems that food poisoning struck the children. We have collected samples of the food the students were served this morning for tests.”

Pramanik added that six-seven students had been sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for further check-up.

Narayan Ghosh, whose nephew Mrittunjay is a Class III student at the school, said the children were given ghugni and suji for breakfast and they had started feeling ill soon after.

“The school authorities first informed me about the incident and when I rushed to the institute, the children were feeling giddy and were complaining of stomach ache,” said Ghosh.

“The students are mostly from backward families. We are trying to contact their parents,” said Rajat Biswas, a resident of Naxalbari, 35km from here.

More than 300 children study from nursery to Class VII at the school.

S. Das, the principal of the institution, could not be contacted as he is out of station. His residence is located on the school campus and his wife N. Das takes care of the boarders.

‘The moment I came to know about the incident, I rushed to the school and made necessary arrangements to get the children admitted. The giddiness and stomach ache might have been caused by food poisoning,” she said.

Prasankumari Toppo, the member (health) of Naxalbari panchayat samiti, who had visited the hospital this morning, said: “We will ask the school authorities how such a thing happened and who were responsible. We demand an inquiry and action against the people responsible for the incident.”

Siliguri subdivisional officer Rajat Saini said he had asked the Naxalbari ACMOH to ensure proper treatment for the students.

“Tomorrow, I will speak to other officials, including the Naxalbari block medical officer of health, and try to find out what happened,” he added.