Chhindwara, Oct 16: Panic gripped people at a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara as more than 60 people suffered from diarrhoea, prompting the district administration to organise camps for an extensive medical checkup, officials said on Thursday.

Villagers fell sick suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea — many of them were rushed at a nearby a hospital for treatment.

However, all of them recovered within the next few hours after undergoing medical treatment, according to Chhindwara Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Hemkaran Dhruve.

According to official information, people fell ill due to consumption of contaminated water from a well in the village they were using from several years.

Panic gripped the village as one after another person using water from that particular well complained about the same problem.

The district administration took prompt action in the matter and send a medical team to conduct door-to-door medical check-up in Jarola village.

At least 120 people were checked during medical camps organised on Wednesday and Thursday.

“More 150 people were checked in medical camps held in Jarola village. At least 60 of them were found suffering from vomiting, fever, cough, and diarrhoea. However, they all have recovered after necessary treatment,” SDM Dhruve told media persons on Thursday.

Preliminary investigation revealed that people fell sick due to consumption of contaminated water from a well.

“Water samples from well and other water resources in the village have been collected and sent for testing,” the SDM said.

Chhindwara has recently witnessed the shocking Coldrif cough syrup tragedy that had killed 24 children in the past one-and-a-half month, including a four-year-old girl Ambika Vishwakarma, who battled for life for more than a month at a private hospital in Nagpur, died early on Wednesday.

After the unfortunate Chhindwara tragedy, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said that there were 232 drug factories in the state, which were being investigated.

He added that the teams of the health department are also checking the quality control system of those drug-manufacturing units.

Each batch of drugs being supplied to the state government is thoroughly checked, the Deputy Chief Minister said, adding that the private supplies are also being monitored.

He said that he had written to the Tamil Nadu government seeking to know the name of the person behind issuing the license to the drug-making unit that produced the adulterated cough syrup.

The Deputy Chief Minister also sought to know whether any checking had been done before renewing the license.

He admitted that the tragedy occurred in Madhya Pradesh because of the lack of proper monitoring by the Tamil Nadu government.

Palakkad, Oct 16: A wave of anger and grief swept through Palakkad after a Class 9 student from Kannadi Higher Secondary School allegedly committed suicide, leading to the suspension of two staff members and the temporary closure of the school.

State Education Minister V. Sivankutty on Thursday directed the district Education authorities to conduct a detailed probe into the incident and submit a report.

The 14-year-old student, identified as Arjun from Pallenchathannur, was found dead at his home earlier this week.

His family has accused a class teacher of mental harassment that allegedly pushed him to take the extreme step.

Police have launched an investigation based on the family’s complaint, and the school will remain closed for four days.

The incident has triggered massive protests from students, parents, and political organisations.

According to the family, the teacher, identified as Asha, had threatened to file a complaint with the Cyber Cell and have Arjun jailed over a message sent on Instagram.

“She humiliated him in front of the class and even called the Cyber Cell during class hours. He was visibly disturbed after that,” one of his classmates said.

Soon after news of the “suicide” broke, students boycotted classes and staged a sit-in on the school campus.

Several student organisations joined the agitation and laid siege to the principal’s office, demanding immediate action.

The situation escalated when the principal, Lisy, defended the teacher, saying no wrongdoing had occurred, further intensifying the protests.

Amid mounting pressure, the school management convened an emergency meeting and decided to suspend both the class teacher and the principal, pending inquiry.

Education officials have sought a detailed report on the incident, and counselling support has been arranged for students.

The tragic incident has reignited a debate on mental health, bullying, and accountability in schools.

Police officials said statements are being recorded from students, staff, and the teacher involved.

A case has been registered, and further action will follow based on the investigation.

Guwahati, Oct 16: In a major development in the ongoing probe into the mysterious death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced that the Singapore Police authorities will hold a meeting with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Assam on October 21.

Taking to the social media platform X, Sarma said the meeting signifies a crucial step in the pursuit of justice for the late singer.

“Another step forward towards justice for our beloved Zubeen. The Singapore Police authorities will meet the Assam Police team led by Sri Munna Gupta, ADGP and Head of SIT, on 21st October. Our collective resolve remains — Justice for Zubeen will prevail,” he posted.

The meeting will be held between officials of the Singapore Police and the SIT, headed by ADGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta, who is leading the probe from Assam.

The discussion is expected to focus on the exchange of key evidence and findings related to Garg’s death, which occurred in Singapore under mysterious circumstances last month.

The Assam government had constituted the SIT shortly after the incident to ensure a comprehensive and transparent investigation.

The team has been coordinating closely with Singapore authorities and gathering information from individuals connected to Garg’s final days abroad.

Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most celebrated singers and cultural figures, was found dead in Singapore, triggering an outpouring of grief and anger across the state.

His death has since led to widespread protests, including violent demonstrations in parts of Assam, as fans and civil society groups continue to demand a thorough probe.

Security has been tightened in several areas following clashes near Baksa jail earlier this week, where protestors had gathered. Police have since said the situation is under control.

The upcoming meeting between Singapore and Assam Police is expected to be pivotal in advancing the investigation and uncovering the circumstances that led to the untimely demise of the beloved artist.