Baripada: A student died and more than 120 others were hospitalised in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district following a suspected case of food poisoning at a residential school.

The incident occurred at Kakabandh Ashram School under the Rasgovindpur block. According to initial reports, the students had consumed pakhala along with potato chutney on Tuesday morning. Soon after, several students began complaining of vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever.

As the condition of the children deteriorated, they were rushed to the Rasgovindpur Hospital. So far, over 120 students have been admitted for treatment.

The school houses more than 220 students from Class I to VIII. A large number of children reportedly fell ill within a short span of time after consuming the meal, raising concerns about food safety and hygiene practices at the school.

Medical teams are currently monitoring the condition of the affected students. The exact cause of the illness is yet to be officially confirmed, but preliminary suspicion points towards contaminated food.