Middle-school students fall ill from midday meal contamination

"These incidents expose vulnerabilities in the hygiene protocols of meals supplied under government nutrition schemes"

- HD Bureau

A distressing incident unfolded on Monday, 8 September 2025, when 37 pupils at the Government Middle School in Jambai, near Kallakurichi, experienced nausea and vomiting after consuming their midday meal, prompting urgent medical attention.

The meal—prepared for 89 children and served around noon—was found to contain a lizard, according to official accounts.

The school staff quickly transported affected children to the Manalurpettai primary health centre for initial evaluation. As symptoms persisted, more serious cases were referred to the Tiruvannamalai Government Hospital, where the children were kept under observation. Authorities confirmed that all were stabilised and have since been discharged.