UP: Student dies after food poisoning incident in Deoria school, 61 hospitalised
Deoria (UP), Aug 7: A 15-year-old student, who was among the several children hospitalised here two days ago after food poisoning at a state-run school, died in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur on Wednesday, officials said.
Around 80 students from the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ashram School in Mehroona village had fallen ill with symptoms of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea after eating the school meal, and were hospitalised on Monday.
Currently, 61 students are hospitalised in Deoria Medical College, according to the officials.
District Magistrate Divya Mittal expressed deep sorrow over this incident.
"All the students admitted for treatment at Deoria Medical College are healthy and they will be discharged from today," Mittal said.
Ashram schools, which provide residential-based free education to meritorious students from financially weaker sections of society, are being run by the Social Welfare Department of the state. Currently, 94 such schools are functional in the state, according to an official website.
The district administration has initiated processes for lodging an FIR with the police, starting a magisterial probe over the incident and cancelled the licence of the mess contractor.
"A student receiving treatment at Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur has passed away this Wednesday morning. The deceased student, Shivam Yadav, son of Sadanand Yadav, aged 15, was a resident of Bhaisiya Ramnagar, Farenda Tehsil, Maharajganj district," Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Rajesh Jha said.
"Following the food poisoning incident on August 5, his condition deteriorated, and he was admitted to Maharshi Deoraha Baba Medical College, Deoria. Initially, his health was stable, but on the afternoon of August 6, his condition worsened with a sudden drop in blood pressure, leading to his admission to the ICU," Jha said.
He said despite efforts, there was no significant improvement in his health. Consequently, for better treatment, the medical college administration transferred him to BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, on Tuesday evening around 4 pm using an advanced life-saving ambulance.
At the BRD Medical College, Shivam was placed on a ventilator for treatment, the CMO said.
"To ensure coordinated efforts for his treatment, the district administration sent Additional CMO Dr Surendra Chaudhary to BRD Medical College. Unfortunately, Shivam Yadav passed away on the morning of Wednesday, August 7," he added.
According to an official statement, the district administration has initiated action against erring mess service providers in connection with the incident.
A complaint has been given by District Social Welfare Officer Jaiswar Lal Bahadur to register an FIR under relevant sections at the local Bariyarpur police station against mess contractor Rajesh Gupta, it said.
The contract to operate the mess has also been cancelled and instructions have been given to invite fresh tenders for operating the mess, it said.
"Apart from this, an order has been given for magisterial inquiry of the case. Strict action will be ensured on receipt of the investigation report," the statement added.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
