The Karnataka High Court on April 11 issued an urgent directive to airlift 22 children to Meghalaya for advanced medical care, following a severe food poisoning incident. The court responded to the matter swiftly after reports emerged that the children, who had been part of a cultural exchange program, fell ill due to contaminated food served at a private event in Bengaluru. Authorities confirmed the children belonged to various districts of Meghalaya and were visiting Karnataka under a state-sponsored student outreach initiative.
Doctors at Bengaluru’s government hospital first attended to the affected students late Wednesday night, when the children began to show symptoms including vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pain. Medical teams stabilized their condition initially, but as the children’s condition remained critical in some cases, officials raised concerns about their recovery in an unfamiliar environment far from their families.
Upon reviewing a petition filed by a child welfare NGO, the Karnataka High Court convened a special bench on Thursday morning. The bench took note of the children’s fragile health and emphasized the emotional distress they may suffer by staying away from home. The judges also acknowledged logistical challenges in arranging follow-up care for minors who live hundreds of kilometers away from their guardians. The court instructed the Karnataka and Meghalaya governments to coordinate immediately and carry out the medical evacuation without delay.
Medical teams in Meghalaya also prepared in advance to receive the students. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma held an emergency meeting with the state health department and child welfare officers. He assured families that the children would receive the best possible care upon arrival. Sangma also spoke to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and thanked him for the quick administrative response. Both leaders pledged full cooperation between the states during the children’s recovery.
Officials arranged air ambulances and specially equipped aircraft to transport the 22 students under close medical supervision. Each child received an individual medical assessment before boarding. Teams of pediatricians and trauma specialists accompanied the students during the flight. The first batch of children arrived at Shillong Airport by Thursday evening. The remaining were scheduled to follow within hours. Authorities transported them directly to NEIGRIHMS (North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences), which activated its emergency protocol for mass patient intake.
Parents of the affected children gathered in Shillong anxiously awaiting their arrival. Many broke down in relief upon seeing their children disembark safely. State officials arranged temporary accommodations for families near the hospital. Counseling teams met with the families to help them cope with the trauma.
The incident has sparked widespread concern over food safety at public and private events, especially those involving children. Karnataka’s Food Safety Department launched an investigation to trace the source of the contaminated meal. Preliminary reports suggest that food served by a local caterer during a felicitation ceremony caused the outbreak. Inspectors collected samples from the venue and the kitchen used by the contractor. Authorities have sealed the premises pending lab results. The caterer remains under police questioning.
The Karnataka High Court has asked for a status report on the investigation and has directed the Food Safety Commissioner to ensure no repeat of such lapses in the future. The court stressed that responsibility and accountability must be established quickly. Karnataka’s Education Department has also initiated a review of safety protocols for all future student events.
Meanwhile, doctors at NEIGRIHMS reported steady improvement in the children’s condition. Most are expected to make a full recovery within a few days. Health officials in Meghalaya are monitoring the situation closely and have promised daily medical bulletins to the families and the press.
The tragedy has united officials, doctors, and citizens in a collective effort to ensure the safety of young lives. While the situation remains sensitive, the swift intervention by the judiciary and both state governments has offered hope and reassurance to the families and set a precedent for prompt action during public health emergencies.
The Meghalaya government has also formed a medical oversight committee to ensure the long-term wellbeing of the affected children. This committee includes senior pediatricians, mental health counselors, child rights activists, and education officials. The team will monitor not just the physical recovery of the students but also the psychological trauma that such an experience can cause. Officials confirmed that counselors have already begun interacting with the children to ease their mental stress and help them process the incident.
Civil society groups in both Karnataka and Meghalaya have come forward to support the families. Volunteers from local NGOs in Shillong provided food, warm clothing, and emotional support to parents who traveled from remote villages. Student organizations also joined the effort, with some offering translation help to non-Khasi-speaking medical staff. In Bengaluru, activist groups held a candlelight vigil outside the hospital to show solidarity with the children and raise awareness about food safety and accountability.
Meanwhile, political leaders from across party lines expressed concern over the incident. Meghalaya opposition leaders urged the state government to push for strict legal action against those responsible for the food contamination. In Karnataka, opposition parties demanded a wider audit of catering services at all government-sponsored events. Some lawmakers called for a joint task force between the two states to investigate the matter and strengthen food safety regulations going forward.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and sought a detailed report from both state governments. The commission emphasized the need for strict monitoring of children’s safety during inter-state exchange programs and has proposed guidelines to ensure regular food quality checks at student gatherings nationwide.
The tragedy has not only exposed the vulnerabilities in event planning for young participants but has also ignited a broader conversation about institutional responsibility, food hygiene, and emergency medical readiness. It has underscored the importance of proactive judicial intervention and the power of inter-state coordination in safeguarding the most vulnerable sections of society. As the children begin their journey toward full recovery, the focus now shifts to ensuring that such an incident does not repeat—and that lessons learned translate into lasting reforms.