Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (RJP)

Bengaluru, Jan 1: Around 103 children at a remand home in Siddapura fell ill after consuming food in which they had spotted a lizard.

All the affected children of Siddapura Balamandira were rushed to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH) in the early hours of Monday.

As per details available, while some had started gagging and had diarrhoea, the others were nauseated after consuming rice and sambar for dinner.

A Fourteen-year-old boy picked up a spoon of rice and sambar which was served for dinner on Sunday night. Just when he thought he was chewing on a piece of onion, an unpleasant taste made him spit it out. He had bitten into a dead lizard. At the same time, another 10-year-old found a lizard's leg in his plate.

Little later about six fell children seriously ill, but the staffers brought the others also to the hospital as a measure of precaution at 2 am.

The police termed it a case of ‘mass hysteria’ and said they would look into the incident.

DCP South Annamalai said: "Doctors have told us that all children are recovering well. A few who complained of nausea are being treated at the hospital. It does not look like a case of mischief.” Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner B Shankar has ordered an enquiry.

Food and vomit samples have been sent for examination.

Most of the children have recovered and will be discharged by Tuesday, said hospital sources.