Principal, 3 others booked in Shahapur food poisoning case

Thane: A day after more than 100 children, including 63 girls of an ashram school set up by the tribal development department in Shahpur tehsil were hospitalised following suspected food poisoning on Wednesday, the police have booked the principal, vice principal of Sant Gadagebaba School, a food distributor and the caterer who made the food.
The tribal project officer of Shahapur has ordered an inquiry into the incident that occurred at Bhatsai, about 64 km from Thane city, on Wednesday.
Officials said initially 25 to 30 students complained of stomachache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea after eating lunch, which comprised pulao and gulab jamuns, supplied by a donor. But the number gradually increased to 70 and later to 109, and all of them were admitted to the government hospital at Shahapur, they said.
According to the information received from the tehshil office, the lunch was provided by a family at Washind as part of shradhha or death anniversary in the family.
“We have booked four persons including the principal and vice principal of the school, under section 254 (Whoever delivers to any other person as genuine or as a coin of a different description from what it is) 337, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code,” said Milind Shinde, deputy superintendent of police, Shahapur. “After conducting an inquiry against them we will make further arrests in the matter.”
All the children have been discharged from the hospital and are recovering at thier homes.