On the night of October 4, 2026, forty-six girl students reportedly fell ill after having dinner and subsequently going to sleep at Mantri SSD Girls High School in the Badasahi block of Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district. The district administration has initiated an investigation following this incident.

Authorities revealed that eight of the affected students are currently receiving treatment at Mantri Health Centre, while eleven others are being treated at Badasahi Group Health Centre. The remaining twenty-seven students are receiving care within the school hostel itself.

Mayurbhanj Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Netrananda Mallick noted that the district administration was alerted to the situation on the morning of October 5, 2026. Following this, the District Collector made an immediate visit to the school to assess the situation. Mallick stated that proper treatment is being provided and that no major health issues have been reported among the students.

Government Response and Investigation

The district administration has also emphasised the need for maintaining hygienic conditions concerning food across all schools. The ADM indicated that the government has issued specific directives to ensure such standards are met in all districts, which aligns with their ongoing examination of the incident.

The Baripada District Collector, Hemakanta Say, has ordered a thorough inquiry to identify the cause of the students’ illness. The investigation aims to ensure that all affected students recover promptly and effectively. The determination of the underlying cause is expected to be concluded upon the completion of the inquiry.

Health officials are actively treating the affected students at the school. The investigation will also scrutinise whether the illness was associated with the food consumed during the dinner on that night.

Context of Recent Events in Mayurbhanj

In recent months, Mayurbhanj has experienced multiple similar incidents affecting students in residential schools and hostels. For example, in April 2026, more than one hundred students from Kakabandha Ashram School in Rasgovindpur block fell ill after allegedly consuming stale fermented rice, among other items not cleared for serving. Tragically, a Class 5 student named Rupali Besra died following treatment in the intensive care unit.

In another instance, roughly ninety-two girl students at Sargoda Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya under Bijatala block suffered from diarrhoea and vomiting in July and August 2026, after eating stale food. The headmistress of this institution was subsequently suspended, while the hostel was repurposed to serve as a temporary medical centre.

Further incidents were reported in August 2026, when more than nineteen students from the SSD Girls’ High School hostel in Badasimulia experienced similar ailments after consuming fish and rice for dinner. Following this, a medical team was dispatched to examine all hostel residents for any health concerns.

In September 2026, nearly two hundred and fifty students from Bishipur Ashram School protested against inadequate food quality, which included rice infested with insects and worms, insufficient drinking water, and electricity shortages. Earlier, in February 2025, over one hundred tribal students from Basipitha High School raised complaints about substandard meals. These recurring issues have drawn significant attention to food safety and overall student welfare in the region.

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