22 children fall sick after eating midday meal at school in Bidar

Mangalore Today News Network

Bidar, Feb 4, 2026: As many as 22 children at the Jamaalapura Government Primary School took ill after having their midday meal on Tuesday, with one child having been admitted to the Bidar District Hospital for treatment.

After some of the children complained of stomach ache, and developed nausea and dysentery, the teachers grew anxious and rushed all 58 kids at the school to the Aurad Taluk Hospital, to be on the safe side. Of these, only 22 displayed signs of sickness. While 21 of the kids were treated at the taluk hospital, the doctors there deemed it best to send one girl to the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences for further treatment.

“All the kids are safe and in good health,” said Aurad Tahsildar Mahesh Patil.

Meanwhile, Aurad Taluk Health Officer Dr Gayathri blamed the children’s illness on the poor quality of foodgrains used in the preparation of the meals.

The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken cognisance of the incident, and expressed concern over such occurrences being reported in various districts across the state. Urging the officials concerned to be vigilant, the commission has directed them to take necessary steps to prevent such incidents from recurring. Meanwhile, the commission has asked the authorities in Aurad to submit a detailed report on the incident at the Jamaalapura Government Primary School.

Aurad MLA Prabhu Chavan, who interacted with the schoolchildren at the taluk hospital, directed the authorities to identify those officials whose negligence had resulted in the students falling sick, and to initiate action against the same.