Food poisoning scare leaves 28 students ill

Tirupati: A suspected food poisoning incident at TTD’s Sri Venkateswara Ayurveda College in Tirupati left 28 students ill on Tuesday, prompting authorities to shift them to SVIMS and the TTD Central Hospital for treatment.

The affected students, who stay in the college hostels, reportedly fell ill after consuming food supplied in the hostel. They complained of vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, and mild stomach pain, leading to immediate medical intervention.

Students alleged that the quality of food served at the Ayurveda Medical College hostels had been poor for several days and said similar incidents had occurred earlier. Following the incident, TTD officials inspected the kitchen, reviewed hygiene and food handling practices, and collected food samples for laboratory analysis. Further action will depend on the test results. The incident caused panic among parents, many of whom contacted college authorities to enquire about the health condition of their children.

Responding to the incident, TTD joint executive officer Dr A Sarath said some students from the boys’ and girls’ hostels developed mild symptoms of illness and were provided immediate medical treatment.

Of the 28 affected students, 20 were girls and eight were boys. Seventeen girls and three boys were shifted by ambulance to the TTD Central Hospital, while the remaining students also received the necessary medical care. All the students were treated under the supervision of the Chief Medical Officer.

Dr Sarath visited the TTD Central Hospital on Tuesday afternoon to meet the students, review the treatment being provided, and interact with doctors about their condition. He said all the students responded well to treatment and were discharged after their health stabilised. They later returned to their hostels and had their meals. According to the final medical report, all 28 students are now safe and in good health.

Meanwhile, SVIMS Medical Superintendent Dr Ram dismissed reports circulating on social media and other platforms claiming that food poisoning had occurred in the SVIMS and Sri Padmavathi Medical College hostels. He termed the reports false and baseless.

Dr Ram said a total of 1,147 students had meals in the SVIMS hostels, including 482 MBBS students and 665 physiotherapy and nursing students. He said only three MBBS students reported to the casualty ward on July 27 night with symptoms of diarrhoea and were treated before being sent back to their hostel. He clarified that food preparation, storage, and distribution at SVIMS are regularly monitored in accordance with food safety standards.