Students Hospitalised in Kokrajhar After Suspected Food Poisoning Incident at CIT Hostel

Around 62 students fell ill after having dinner at Gambari Sikhla Girls’ Hostel of the Central Institute of Technology (CIT) in Kokrajhar district of Assam.
The students of the girls’ hostel at Balajan in Kokrajhar were admitted to the Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital on Sunday morning. Hostel warden Sucharita Sen Maity said, “The current situation has arisen because the existing guidelines were not being properly followed. I had been receiving complaints from the students for a long time about the cook and the contractor regarding the food. We conducted several meetings earlier too so that such a situation did not occur, but we could not avoid it.”
Kokrajhar district commissioner Pankaj Chakravarty said that after the suspected food poisoning incident in CIT, two magistrates have been sent to investigate the incident. Arrangements have been made for medical treatment so that the health of all the students does not deteriorate.’
A victim student said, “At times, we found insects in the food, and sometimes foul-smelling items, paste, pins, and hair were often found earlier. Even after we complained, our grievances were not addressed.”
Another student recounted the ordeal, saying that after having lunch on Saturday, they felt bloated and nauseous. “After eating in the hostel, we often feel uneasy. Because of that, even though I felt a bit of stomach pain after Saturday’s lunch, I didn’t pay much attention to it initially, but later my health condition deteriorated,” she said.