Bhubaneswar, April 15: Tension has erupted in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district following the death of a fifth-grade student from alleged food poisoning at a government tribal school. Chief Minister Mohan Chara Majhi has announced a compensation of ₹300,000 for the victim’s family and ordered an investigation by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC).
An official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) released late Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the death of Rupali Besra, a student from Rasgovindpur tehsil. The Chief Minister extended his condolences to the grieving family.
In addition to the compensation from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF), Majhi has instructed the RDC to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the illness of the students and the cause of Rupali’s death. The RDC is scheduled to visit the school on Wednesday to investigate the incident. A medical team will also be dispatched to Rasgovindpur to examine the health of the children.
The CMO reported that the Joint Director of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and another microbiologist are already present in Baripada.
It is pertinent to note that more than 140 students from the state-run school in Kakabandha, Rasgovindpur tehsil, reportedly fell ill after consuming ‘pakhala’ (fermented rice), leafy vegetable curry, mashed potatoes, and other items on Sunday morning.
They were subsequently taken to a nearby community health center. As some students’ health deteriorated, around 70 were transferred to a medical college in Baripada. Tragically, 12-year-old Rupali Besra passed away on Tuesday while receiving treatment in the ICU. Following this incident, the school’s principal has been suspended.
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