Daijiworld Media Network – Dehradun

Dehradun, Jun 12: Panic spread across Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district after around 150 students allegedly suffered food poisoning following a special meal served at the Patel Bhawan hostel.

According to university officials and students, nearly 185 second-year engineering students reside in the hostel. The incident reportedly occurred after students consumed a special meal arranged by the mess operator. Vegetarian students were served paneer dishes, while non-vegetarian students were provided butter chicken, naan, rice and rasmalai.

Students began experiencing symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea within one to one-and-a-half hours of consuming the meal. As the number of affected students increased, hostel authorities alerted the hostel manager, warden and Dean of Student Welfare (DSW).

The university administration rushed the students to the university hospital using all three university ambulances and a bus. Around 150 students received treatment at the hospital. Most were discharged after receiving primary medical care and returned to the hostel. However, five students remained admitted, with their condition 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, but despite repeated complaints, the operator continued to manage the mess. The university administration had earlier imposed a financial penalty on the operator, following which the special meal was reportedly arranged.

Senior university officials, including the Registrar, visited the hospital to monitor the situation. Meanwhile, the university administration has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the incident and determine the cause of the suspected food poisoning.