38 Students Hospitalized in Telangana School Food Poisoning

At least 38 students were hospitalized in Telangana's Khammam district after falling ill from suspected food poisoning following a midday meal at a government primary school, officials reported Friday. The incident, which occurred Thursday at Bodiyathanda Government Primary School in Konijerla mandal, marked the second such case in the state within 48 hours, raising alarms over food safety in public schools.

The affected students, all young children, consumed a meal of dal and rice during the midday program. Symptoms, including severe stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, emerged within an hour, prompting immediate action from parents, villagers, and school staff. Lacking official transport, locals used autorickshaws and two-wheelers to rush the children to Khammam Government Hospital. Medical teams there confirmed that 10 of the students remained in critical condition late Thursday, receiving close monitoring and specialized care, while the others stabilized.

District Education Officer Chaitanya Jaini described the situation as serious but under control, noting that emergency teams had been mobilized to treat the influx of patients. Local officials, including the Mandal Revenue...