BARIPADA: Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra on Thursday visited Lunachati village in Mayurbhanj’s Rasgovindpur block and met the parents of a 12-year-old Class V student of Kakabandh Ashram School, who died while being treated for food poisoning.
Expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, the minister provided financial assistance of Rs 3 million from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. He alleged that some political leaders were trying to exploit the incident for political gains and criticized the BJD’s call for a district-wide bandh on Saturday.
He also condemned the attack on police personnel and assured that strict action will be taken against those involved in the violence that erupted after the student’s death. The minister was accompanied by Baripada MLA Prakash Soren and Bangiriposi MLA Sanjali Murmu.
The girl, Rupali Besra, died on Tuesday while being treated at the PRM Medical College and Hospital in Baripada. She was one of over 140 students who fell ill after reportedly consuming stale food at the government-run Ashram school on April 12.
Currently, 66 students are under treatment at the KKM of PRM. A critically ill student has been referred to SCB MCH in Cuttack. Additional District Medical Officer Sashikanta Sethi said preliminary test reports indicate that food poisoning is the main cause of illness among students.
