Around 150 students of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand fell sick after consuming a special hostel meal that included butter chicken, paneer and other dishes.
Panic gripped Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Udham Singh Nagar after around 150 students allegedly suffered food poisoning following a special meal served at Patel Bhawan hostel.
According to university officials and students, nearly 185 second-year engineering students reside in Patel Bhawan. The incident occurred after students consumed a special diet arranged by the mess operator. Vegetarian students were served paneer, while non-vegetarian students were given butter chicken, naan, rice and rasmalai.
Students began complaining of vomiting and diarrhoea about one to one-and-a-half hours after eating the meal. As the number of affected students rose, hostel authorities informed the hostel manager, warden and the Dean Student Welfare (DSW).
University authorities rushed the students to the university hospital using all three university ambulances and a bus. Around 150 students received treatment at the hospital. Doctors later discharged most of them after providing primary medical care and sent them back to their hostel. However, five students remained admitted as their condition was reported to be serious.
Several students alleged that the mess operator had been using substandard food ingredients. They claimed that insects had been found in the food on two previous occasions. Despite those complaints, the mess operator was not replaced. The university administration had earlier imposed a financial penalty on the operator, following which the special diet was arranged for students.