Over 700 National Defense Academy (NDA) cadets were hospitalised on Thursday due to food poisoning. By Friday, the number of patients on medication, though, was reduced to 400-500 and the attendance in classes has gone down to 50%.
According to a report in The Indian Express, egg curry served for lunch on Thursday, is suspected to be the reason for the poisoning as the cadets who did not consume the curry were reported fine.
Cadets were rushed to the Military Hospital in Khadakwasla where the lack of space resulted in some cadets lying on the hospital floor till about 6 pm. They were later taken to the Military Hospital in Khadki (Kirkee).
Due to lack of ambulance service, the trainees were taken to hospital by officers’ personal vehicles and trucks.
Official statement from NDA is awaited but reports stated that the students started frothing while some vomited blood.
“One by one, they started vomiting. The numbers increased with each passing minute and till about 5 pm, about 700 cadets had been rushed to military hospital in Khadakwasla in all available vehicles, ambulances, cars of divisional officers” a source was quoted as saying to The Indian Express.
NDA would be carrying out internal inquiry into the matter.