28 students from a municipal school in Naraina, West Delhi, were hospitalized on Friday following a suspected gas leak in the area. Two of the affected students received oxygen support and were subsequently reported to be in better condition. Of the affected students, 19 were admitted to RML Hospital and 9 were admitted to Acharya Bhikshuk Hospital.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi provided an update on the situation and warranted an investigation into the matter. In an official statement, the Delhi Municipal Corporation said the gas leak occurred on a nearby train track. According to the mayor, the students suddenly smelled a strange smell and started vomiting. They were immediately taken to the hospital.
However, the railways issued a statement saying authorities had not received any reports of gas leaks from any of the stations and said their vehicles never carried toxic gases that could be dangerous. may pose a health risk.
Parents of some of the children affected claim that school officials failed to notify them of the incident. Affected children report abdominal pain and difficulty breathing due to the stench. According to police officials in the area, they received calls about some students getting sick and vomiting at Nigam Pratibha Vidyalaya in Inderpuri. However, they said that the exact reason for the incident has yet to be determined, news agency PTI reported.
"According to initial reports, some of the classrooms had a strong stench that made the children feel sick. Apparently, the children had just finished eating. The smell had subsided but as a precaution, all classrooms were evacuated.", Deputy Police Chief (West) Vichitra Veer said. Mayor Shelly Oberoi met the students at the hospital and said they were fine. "I am extremely relieved to report that the two girls receiving oxygen support at RML are now fine. All the children admitted to both hospitals are healthy. We are currently working on their recovery. function for them within the safe limits of their home.
“Delhi crime forensic team visited the school today. They will send a report identifying the exact reason,” she said in a post on social networking site X, formerly known as Twitter.
MCD, in a statement, said officials have been directed to investigate the incident and find the cause and source of the gas leak.
BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva meets with students of RML Hospital. He said neither the student nor the teacher could say what caused the incident and that civil authorities should investigate the matter. In a later statement, Sachdeva accused AAP of "misleading" the students' families by saying they had a gas leak. Meanwhile, Delhi's Opposition Leader and former Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh claimed the children fell ill after having lunch at school. He claims the mayor and his team are trying to blame the gas leak to save themselves.
He questioned why only the children were affected by the "gas leak incident", and the teachers were fine. He also pointed out that the local people residing in the area should have been affected as well, but that was not the case.
Expressing regret over the incident, Singh asked the company's management to conduct an objective investigation into the whole matter. He requested the creation of an investigative committee including advisers from the opposition party.
