Key Update

More than 50 students at the BC Welfare Boys Hostel in Dharmavaram, Gadwal district, Telangana fell sick with food poisoning after eating dinner on Friday (October 31, 2025). Officials rushed 54 students to the Government Hospital. District Collector B.M. Santhosh said doctors discharged 32 students on Saturday morning and expected to discharge the remaining 22 by afternoon.

Contaminated Meal Under Suspicion

The hostel houses 140 students, but 110 were present on Friday. They ate food prepared with cauliflower and cabbage, and 54 of them developed symptoms soon after. The Collector confirmed that ambulances immediately shifted the students to the hospital. He said officials will conduct a thorough investigation to identify the exact cause. Since eggs were also suspected, officials will send any available samples to the Food Inspector for testing.

Food Safety Checks Already in Place

The Collector noted that he had inspected the hostel a month earlier. He said officials carry out surprise inspections at a minimum of three educational institutions every week. The hostel serves food to students only after Food Safety Committee members taste it and check the quality of the vegetables and groceries used for cooking.

Plan to Increase Inspections

Currently, Tahsildars visit welfare hostels twice a month. The Collector said new orders will increase their inspections to once a week to strengthen food safety oversight.

Source: The Hindu