Around 70 students were hospitalised on Friday (August 25) after reportedly consuming a mid-day meal in a government school in southwest Delhi's Dabri region, news agency PTI reported citing officials. The Delhi government swiftly responded by issuing a show cause notice to the mid-day meal provider implicated in the incident, the report said.
A Delhi government official reassured that "all the children were in a stable condition." Additionally, a stern warning was conveyed to the mid-day meal suppliers to ensure the provision of safe and suitable food for the schoolchildren.
The official stated, "Anyone found guilty in the incident will not be spared."
Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Manoj C informed that around 6 pm, a PCR call was received at Sagarpur police station, reporting that nearly 70 boys from Class VI to VIII had experienced vomiting after consuming a mid-day meal at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya School, Durgapark in Sagarpur.
"The students were shifted to DDU Hospital and Dada Dev Hospital, Dabri. The school authorities stated that after the mid-day meal, students were given soya juice which caused stomach pain and vomiting," he was quoted as saying by PTI.
In response to the incident, the police dispatched a crime team to the site to secure remnants of the food and juice for further investigation.
"Puri subji was served in the mid-day meal followed by soya juice to the students. When the students complained about pain, further distribution of food and juice was stopped. All students are stable as of now," the DCP confirmed.
An FIR (First Information Report) will be registered, and a thorough investigation will be conducted to address the matter.