CHENNAI: Three women who made chutney from a coconut, unaware that their roommate had laced it with rat poison, were hospitalised after falling ill after consuming the chutney.

According to police sources, the affected students were identified as Nikita (20) of Tiruchy, Savitha (21) of Puducherry and Madumitha (21) of Mayiladuthurai. The three affected were staying with four other women at a hostel on Vivekandanda Street in Virugambakam police limits. Nikita and Savitha were undergoing IT training, while Savitha is an engineering student, police said.

Owing to the rat menace in their hostel, one of the roommates, Saira, had laced a coconut with rat poison and kept it in the room. The three women were unaware that Saira had used the coconut for a different purpose, prepared chutney on Saturday evening and consumed it.

Within few minutes, all three complained of severe stomach pain and dizziness after which other roommates enquired and found that they had used the coconut laced with rat poison. All three of them were immediately taken to the KK Nagar Government Hospital and later referred to the Royapettah Government Hospital for further treatment. The police said that the girls are now stable.