COIMBATORE: Tensions arose as parents of several students of the Government Middle School in Sultanpet, Coimbatore, staged a protest in front of the school on Friday, demanding that the management release the laboratory test reports after several students fell ill after consuming the noon meal.
On January 5, a total of 33 students, including 17 girls, suffered vomiting and dizziness after having lunch at the school. The affected students were admitted to private hospitals and later discharged.
Following the incident, the noon meal assistant at the school was transferred, and food samples collected from the school were sent to a testing laboratory to ascertain the cause of illness. In addition, stool samples from two affected students were sent for examination.
Against such a backdrop, the parents and members of the public gathered outside the school on Friday morning, urging authorities to disclose the test reports.
Senior officials of the revenue department and the school headmaster held talks with protesters and assured them that test reports would be disclosed within three days. Thereafter, the protesters left the spot.
As tension prevailed, police personnel were deployed at the site to maintain law and order.