Hans News Service Rajanna Sircilla

Morethan 20 children reportedly fell ill after consuming pani puri at KCR Nagar in Thangallapalli mandal of Rajanna Sircilla district, triggering concerns over food safety and hygiene standards in the area.

According to local sources, the children ate pani puri sold by a roadside vendor on Tuesday evening. By Wednesday morning, several of them developed symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and fever, prompting worried parents to rush them to the Government District Hospital in Sircilla.

Doctors at the hospital said the children were undergoing treatment and their condition was being closely monitored. Preliminary assessments pointed towards suspected food poisoning, though officials were yet to confirm the exact cause of the illness.

Health authorities were expected to investigate the incident and collect samples for analysis.

Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) Sridhar Babu visited the district hospital and interacted with the affected children and their family members.

He reviewed the medical facilities being provided and directed hospital authorities to ensure the best possible treatment. The RDO also instructed officials to keep a close watch on the health condition of the children until their recovery.

The incident sparked concern among local residents, who alleged that several roadside food vendors and food preparation units in and around Sircilla were operating without proper hygiene standards and regulatory oversight. They claimed that inadequate inspections by the Food Safety Department had allowed unsafe food products to be sold openly.

Residents called for immediate inspections of roadside eateries and food preparation centres across the district. They urged authorities to take stringent action against violators and strengthen food safety monitoring mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future.