Over 100 students of IIIT Basara fall ill due to food poisoning

Hyderabad, July 15: Over 100 students of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge and Technologies (RGUKT) at Basara town in Telangana's Nirmal district took ill on Friday due to suspected food poisoning.

Students complained of vomiting and loose motions after lunch at PUC-1 and PUC-2 hostels. Some of them fell unconscious.

Authorities at RGUKT, popularly known as IIIT Basara, provided first aid to affected students in the premises by calling doctors from Nirmal and Bhainsa towns.

Those who fell unconscious were shifted to hospitals in Nizamabad.

The students were served egg fried rice for lunch at the two hostels. The food was prepared at the same place.

On learning about the incident, Forest Minister A. Indrakaran Reddy, who comes from the same district, spoke to IIIT Director Satish Kumar

The incident came less than a month after students staged a week-long protest, demanding better quality food, drinking water and other amenities.

The students had complained that the food being served in the hostel mess is of poor quality. They alleged that on several occasions, small insects and frogs were found in the hostel food.

They had called off their week-long protest on June 21 after Education Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy visited the institute and gave an assurance that their problems will be solved in a phased manner.

The students were demanding appointment of a regular Vice Chancellor and improvement in quality of food and other basic amenities.