Pesticide in school filter: 3 students fall ill in Kolar

NT Correspondent

Kolar: In a bid to secure a holiday for the residential school where he was an inmate, a 9th standard student allegedly mixed pesticide in a water filter at the Morarji Residential School at Doddapannandahalli in Bangapet taluk in Kolar district.

Three students unaware of the mischievous act, consumed the water and fell ill and were later rushed to a hospital in Bangapet where they are recovering.

The incident took place at around 9.30 am on Monday when the boys were to attend their regular classes. Three boys wanted to drink some water and found the water quite smelly, but as they were thirsty, they drank it.

As they were discussing the bad odour in the water, the principal of the high school noticed this and to his shock found a bottle of pesticide inside the filter.

As the students complained of vomiting and nausea, they were rushed to the hospital, said Srinivasan, Joint Director of the Social Welfare department under which the school functions.

The boy, identified to be a 9th standard student, was not willing to stay at the residential school and had often expressed his desire to leave the school, said sources.

As he was keen on meeting his parents he thought that the school authorities would declare a holiday for the school if something unusual happened.

He took a used pesticide bottle and dropped the same into the 25 liter capacity water filter at the school, Srinivasan said.

The boy has reportedly confessed to the act and had stated that his only intention was to get a holiday for the school, said Srinivasan adding that the department authorities and police are further investigating the incident.