SHILLONG, MAR 21: Six individuals have been arrested in Karnataka’s Mandya district following a tragic food poisoning incident that claimed the lives of two students from Meghalaya and left several others ill. The Meghalaya government is making arrangements to bring back the affected students.
Commissioner & Secretary in-charge of Home (Political), Cyril Diengdoh, stated, “The plan is to bring them back to the state of Meghalaya.” However, he noted that some of the students, enrolled in different classes ranging from Class V to Class VIII, are scheduled to take their annual exams. To avoid losing their academic year, the Mandya district administration is working on arrangements to facilitate their examinations before they return home.
Providing an update, Diengdoh confirmed that the students are still under medical care in the hospital. “I am in touch with the Deputy Commissioner of Mandya district. The children are being taken care of by hospital authorities, and the Child Welfare Committee is also monitoring the situation to ensure their well-being,” he said.
To support the bereaved families, the Meghalaya government has directed deputy commissioners to immediately release ₹3 lakh each to the next of kin of the two deceased students.
Diengdoh, who recently returned from Karnataka, further informed that an FIR has been lodged, leading to the arrest of six individuals, including the school operators, the owners of the illegal hostel and restaurant, and the cook. “The inquiry will proceed as per the due process of law. FIR is already registered, and the law will take its own course,” he stated.