Team Herald
VASCO: In a major case of suspected food poisoning, around 100 students of the Institute of Maritime Studies (IMS) in Bogda, Vasco, fell ill after consuming chicken biryani served on campus. Shortly after the meal, several students began complaining of severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. The affected students were rushed to various private hospitals in Vasco. While some have since been discharged, others remain admitted and under observation.
The incident triggered panic among students and their families. “We have received complaints that the biryani served at the institute could be the culprit. Some students had to be hospitalised, but they are stable and under close observation,” a
source revealed.
Mormugao Deputy Collector Bhagwant Karmali stated that the administration has taken serious note of the incident. “I have directed the Mormugao Police and the principal of the institute to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of contamination and fix accountability,” he said.
A parent has lodged a formal complaint with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), which promptly initiated a probe. “The FDA has taken samples from the institute, and we are now awaiting the test results,” an FDA official confirmed.
Meanwhile, Mormugao Police have visited the institute and begun their own inquiry into the matter.