As many as 69 tribal students from ashram shala (residential school) in Maharashtra’s Amravati district were hospitalised after suffering from suspected food poisoning, officials said on Monday (July 27, 2026).

“50 girls and 19 boys fell sick, complaining of vomiting after eating meals at the schools,”said Project Officer for the Integrated Tribal Development Project (ITDP) Siddarth Shukla, adding the accused have been booked.

The incident took place on Saturday night at the Ashram School in Village Titamba in Dharani taluka, when students complained of vomiting and stomach pain. The students were admitted to a Sub-District Hospital on Saturday in Dharani.

“Due to the shortage of medical staff at the Sub-District Hospital Dharani, private medical staff from Dharani city and nearby villages were called to the Sub-District Hospital and the food poisoning boys and girls admitted were immediately treated. The condition of all the student is stable and out of danger,” the statement issued by Amravati police stated.

Amravati police registered a complaint against the operator of the central kitchen supplying meals to the schools. Nilesh Keshavrao Bhagwat, Principal, Government Secondary Ashram School, Titamba filed the case on Sunday.

The accused identified as Vijay Sadashiv Bothare and Sachin Kisan Satpute, cook Sandeep Singh and his accomplices Mahesh Desai under Sections 125 (a), 125 (b), 274, 3 (5), BNS along with Sections 59 (ii), 59 (iii), 56, Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. Dharani police seized the samples of food supplied there through the forensic department and a panchnama was done at the scene.

The 66 boys and girls were discharged at night after improvement in their condition and sent back to the Ashram School from the hospital. Three were kept under the observation of the medical officer in the hospital, as per the statement.

The police also inspected the schools in Bijudhawadi, Savilkheda, and Sasarda. Ah investigation is also underway in the said place under Madhavrao Garud Sub-Divisional Police Officer.

Congress MP Balwant Wankhade instructed Project Officer Shukla to suspend the superintendent and principal of the Ashram School for serious negligence, saying, “Such a negligence will not be tolerated regarding the safety of the students and any misconduct.”

Published - July 27, 2026 09:58 pm IST