At least 30 girl students of a government school in North Kolkata have been admitted to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital after complaining of fever, abdominal pain, and vomiting, officials said on Tuesday. What made them fall sick is being ascertained.
“The students are stable now. The matter is being looked into. The hostel warden was very prompt and admitted the girls to the hospital without wasting any time,” Health Minister Sharadwat Mukherjee told reporters after visiting the hospital on Monday night.
According to hospital sources, the students fell ill between Monday afternoon and evening. They were given medication and are under observation. It’s unclear whether they fell ill after consuming any food or drink at the school or the hostel.
Story continues below this ad
Headmistress Alakananda Majumdar told reporters, “Around 5.30 pm, I started getting calls from the hostel that the girls were feeling unwell. I immediately advised them to be taken to the hospital. Only the doctors can say what happened. This hostel has been there since 2013. Such an incident had never occurred before.”
Officials from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, health department, and the food safety department visited the place where midday meals for students are cooked. They also collected food and water samples from there as well as from the hostel and the school.
No complaint from other schools: Meal supplier
Deb Kumar Das, in charge of the midday meal distribution organisation, said there was no complaint regarding the food they supplied on Monday. “We supply food to 63 primary schools and 93 upper primary schools in Kolkata. All meals are cooked here and then distributed. We have been supplying midday meals since 2009. We have not received any complaints from the other schools where we supplied food yesterday. I feel the water tanks in the school and hostel were not cleaned well and the infection likely spread from there,” he said.
A parent told reporters, “I was informed that my daughter is unwell and she is being taken to the hospital, so I rushed there. The doctors are not saying anything, but my daughter is stable.”
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including:
State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
