2 min readBhubaneswarApr 14, 2026 06:26 PM IST
One of the 150 students of a state-run residential school in Odisha, who fell ill after eating in the hostel mess, died on Tuesday.
On Sunday morning, nearly 150 students of Kokabandha Ashram School in the tribal-majority Mayurbhanj district fell ill after they consumed fermented rice (pakhala). The residential school has a total of 240 students in classes 1 to 8.
The students who fell ill were initially admitted to the Rasagovindapur community health centre, after which around 50 of them were moved to the Baripada Medical College as their condition became more serious.
The girl who died on Tuesday, who was a class 5 student, was admitted to the ICU on Monday after her condition deteriorated, officials said. The condition of other students was stable, though doctors said they were under observation.
Mayurbhanj District Collector Hema Kanta Say said the headmaster of the school, Jayanta Kumar Panigrahi, has been suspended and an inquiry has been ordered.
“The inquiry team will visit the school, speak to the students, and find out the reasons behind the incident and the people responsible for it. Based on the report of the inquiry committee, we will take further action,” Say told The Indian Express.
Parents of the students alleged negligence by school authorities and accused them of serving stale food to the students. Parents staged an agitation after the death of the student and demanded action against the authorities.
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An official said they would inquire into all the allegations levelled by the parents. “If the allegations are true, appropriate action will be taken,” said the official.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed sorrow over the incident and announced an ex gratia of Rs 3 lakh for the family of the girl who died.
