Chandrapur: Thirty-one students were hospitalised after falling ill following a meal served at an ashram school in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, after a lizard was reportedly found in the food.
The incident occurred at Shri Ambru Naik Secondary Ashram School in Nagarala, in Jiwati tehsil, on Tuesday. According to reports, a lizard allegedly fell into a cooking vessel while dal and vegetables were being prepared and went unnoticed before the food was served to students.
The students reportedly developed symptoms including nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and dizziness after eating the meal. They were taken first to a rural hospital in Jiwati before some were shifted to Rajura Sub-District Hospital for further treatment. Their condition was reported to be stable and improving.
The incident has triggered concern among parents and local residents over food hygiene and safety standards at residential schools.
Lizard reportedly found in cooked food
The students were served lunch at around 2.30 pm on Tuesday, according to reports.
While the meal was being served, students reportedly noticed pieces of a cooked lizard in the vessel containing dal. By that time, several students had already eaten portions of the meal. The discovery immediately stopped the distribution of the food.
Shortly afterwards, several children began complaining of discomfort. Reports said the affected students experienced nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and dizziness.
The incident prompted the school authorities to arrange emergency medical assistance.
Students shifted to hospitals
The affected students were taken to a rural hospital in Jiwati for initial treatment.
As some students required further medical attention, they were subsequently transferred to the Rajura Sub-District Hospital. Reports indicated that 31 students were admitted for treatment.
While the incident initially caused considerable alarm among students and parents, reports said the children’s condition was stable.
The hospitalisation nevertheless raised questions about the quality-control measures followed while preparing and serving food to children at the residential institution.
Parents demand accountability
The incident has led to anger and concern among parents, particularly over the safety of meals served to students who depend on residential school facilities.
Parents and villagers have reportedly sought an impartial inquiry and action against anyone found responsible.
Questions have also been raised about how a lizard could enter a cooking vessel and remain unnoticed until after food had been served.
Food preparation in schools requires careful attention to hygiene, storage and inspection, particularly because large numbers of children may consume the same meal.
In this case, the discovery of the reptile has intensified concerns over whether adequate precautions were being followed in the school kitchen.
Investigation into food safety
Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Education Department and police are reported to be looking into the matter, including the food preparation process and possible negligence.
The investigation is expected to determine how the lizard entered the food, whether established kitchen safety procedures were followed and whether any lapses contributed to the incident.
A proper inquiry could also help establish whether the episode was an isolated occurrence or points to wider shortcomings in food-safety practices at the institution.
Ashram school system faces renewed scrutiny
The incident comes amid broader concerns about conditions in residential schools for students from disadvantaged communities in Maharashtra.
The Chandrapur incident was reported shortly after another serious incident involving an ashram school in neighbouring Gadchiroli, where three students reportedly died following snakebites inside their residential school.
The developments have increased scrutiny of residential facilities, where students live and depend on institutional arrangements for food, accommodation and basic safety.
For parents, ensuring that children receive safe and nutritious food is a fundamental responsibility of any residential educational institution.
Food safety especially important for children
Children can be particularly vulnerable when large groups consume contaminated food.
A problem during preparation can affect dozens of students simultaneously, as seen in Chandrapur. Proper inspection of ingredients, clean cooking facilities, safe food storage and supervision during preparation and serving are therefore essential.
The incident also demonstrates the importance of immediately stopping food distribution when contamination is suspected.
Early medical attention can help reduce the risk of serious complications following suspected food poisoning.
Questions over kitchen supervision
The discovery of the lizard has naturally raised questions about supervision in the school kitchen.
Parents are seeking clarity over who was responsible for monitoring the preparation of the meal and whether kitchen staff had followed established food-safety procedures.
There are also questions about the condition of the cooking area and whether measures were in place to prevent insects, reptiles or other contaminants from entering food.
The answers will depend on the findings of the official inquiry.
Students recovering after frightening incident
For the students involved, what began as an ordinary school meal quickly became a frightening experience.
The children had to be taken to hospital after developing symptoms, while their parents faced uncertainty over their health.
Reports that the students were stable and improving provided some relief to families. However, the episode is likely to leave parents demanding stronger assurances about the safety of meals served at the school.
The incident also highlights the need for authorities to respond promptly whenever concerns are raised about food contamination in educational institutions.
Need for stronger safeguards
The Chandrapur episode underlines the importance of maintaining strict hygiene standards wherever food is prepared for children.
Regular kitchen inspections, proper storage of food items, secure cooking areas and adequate supervision can help reduce the possibility of contamination.
Authorities must also ensure that complaints are investigated promptly and that responsibility is established wherever negligence is found.
For residential schools, such safeguards are especially important because students depend heavily on the institution for their daily meals.
A warning about children’s safety
The hospitalisation of 31 students after a lizard was reportedly found in their meal has become a serious food-safety concern in Chandrapur.
While the students were reported to be stable, the incident has prompted legitimate questions about kitchen hygiene, supervision and institutional accountability.
Parents sending their children to residential schools expect the institutions to provide not only education but also a safe environment and basic care.
The investigation will now be crucial in establishing exactly what went wrong and whether negligence played a role.
The episode serves as a reminder that food served to children must be prepared under strict hygiene and safety standards. A small lapse in a school kitchen can quickly become a crisis affecting dozens of young lives.