At least 88 students of a government-run residential school were taken ill for suspected food poisoning in Koraput district, an official said on Tuesday. After preliminary treatment at Ramagiri hospital, around 30 children of the Kandulbeda Sevashram (residential school for SC and ST students), were shifted to Boipariguda and two referred to the sub-divisional hospital at Jeypore, District Welfare Officer (Koraput) Jagannath Soren, who visited the school yesterday, said.

"At present, the students are out of danger," he said. Students of the Kandulbeda Sevashram, about 80 km from here, under Boipariguda block complained of vomiting after dinner on Sunday. "Of the 250 students residing in the hostel, 88 had taken dinner in the first batch and all of them complained of vomiting and uneasiness," Kartik Sisa, one of the affected students, said.

With classes I to X, the school has a strength of 350, including 100 girls. Officials suspect it to be a case of food poisoning and samples have been collected for laboratory tests. "During inquiry it was found that stale food was not served to the students," Soren said. Official sources said instructions have been issued to the sevashram authorities to prepare food in most hygienic condition and staff members should first taste the food before it is served to students.