In a shocking incident, at least 25 students of Step by Step school in sector 132 are suspected to have fallen victim to food poisoning after having lunch in the school on Thursday. The students fell sick soon as they ate the food and suffered from stomach ache and vomiting.
Step by Step school provides food to all its students and the food service is being provided by Sodexo for the last two years.
District Magistrate BN Singh said that a team from the food department was sent for investigation to the school and the university’s hospital. Although the team was led by the City Magistrate of Noida, it was denied entry by the school’s staff.
"All the students are admitted to different private hospitals and I have already given instructions to all hospitals to take necessary measures to save the children,” Singh said.
“The food department will take samples of the food provided to the students. When we get the results we’ll find out the reason for the poisoning,” he further added.
According to sources, four students are admitted in Jaypee Hospital in Sector-128 and around twenty students are in Max hospital in Sector-19, Noida. Noida News
The spokesperson of Jaypee Hospital confirmed that four students are admitted in the hospital. They are out of danger and will be kept under doctors’ care for a night.
The district administration has lodged an FIR under sections 328 (Causing hurt by means of poison), 341(Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 332(Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) against the school management.
A statement released by the school states that some of the students suffered from mild to severe stomach ache and vomiting. It is unclear as to what was the cause of the problem. A team of doctors were called by the school staff from Max Hospital to provide medical attention to affected students.
The statement also said that the school immediately informed the parents of the affected students and necessary steps were being taken for the well-being of the students. Some students also went home with their parents after checkup.
Sources claim that the services of Sodexo, the food service provider, has been suspended and an inquiry will be undertaken by the school authorities. A parent said that his child was also the victim of food poisoning and after a checkup was conducted in the school, he took his son to Kailash Hospital for further checkup. He further added that his kid was fine now and at home with him.
