A total of six individuals have been arrested in connection with the food poisoning incident in a Karnataka hostel that claimed the lives of two students from Meghalaya and left 22 students hospitalised. Commissioner and Secretary of Home department, Cyril VD Diengdoh, who visited Mandya under government directives, confirmed the arrests. The Meghalaya government has instructed the concerned deputy commissioners to release an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh to the families of the two boys who tragically lost their lives.
“The students were admitted to the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, where they are under treatment. Initially, three students were in the ICU; as of today, only one remains in critical care, while the rest are in stable condition. The hospital authorities are taking good care of them, and officers from the Child Welfare Committee of Mandya district are closely monitoring their well-being,” Diengdoh said.
Detailing the circumstances of the poisoning, he explained that the students had been living in an unauthorised hostel associated with their school. On the day of Holi, they were served dinner from a local restaurant, which appears to have led to the mass poisoning. Authorities have since arrested the restaurant cook, the hotel owner, and school staff.