Maharashtra: 19 govt school students hospitalised after iron tablet overdose

Nineteen students from a Zilla Parishad school in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district were hospitalised after allegedly consuming an excessive number of anti-anaemia tablets without supervision, officials said on Friday.

The incident occurred in Bhamdeli village of Bhadravati tehsil, prompting authorities to order a probe into the circumstances that led to the lapse.

Under a routine health programme, students are administered iron tablets every Monday to combat anaemia. However, officials said some students at the ZP school reportedly consumed additional tablets on Tuesday in the absence of teachers.

By Wednesday night, 19 students began complaining of nausea, dizziness and feeling “extremely unwell”. The school administration alerted emergency services, and ambulances transported the affected children to the Chandrapur District Hospital, said Ashok Katare, district health officer of the Zilla Parishad.

Doctors said 16 students are in stable condition, while three remain under observation.

Zilla Parishad chief executive officer Pulkit Singh has ordered a high-level inquiry to determine accountability and prevent a recurrence, officials added.

With PTI inputs