Thirty-six students at a government school in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district were hospitalised on Thursday, September 24, after a lizard was found in the breakfast served at the school.
The incident took place at the Kottaiyur Panchayat Union Middle School near Kadambathur. The students reported vomiting and dizziness after eating the morning meal and were taken to Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Lizard Found in Breakfast.
According to reports, breakfast was served to students at around 8:30 a.m. under the Tamil Nadu government's Kamarajar breakfast scheme.
The meal included wheat rava kichadi and sambar. While eating, students allegedly noticed a lizard in the kichadi, causing panic among the children.
Soon after, students began to complain of vomiting and dizziness.
Students Taken to Hospital
The children who were affected by the incident were taken to Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital in emergency vehicles.
Dinamani reported 36 students were admitted for treatment and another report said 40 students had symptoms. Parents of students who had eaten the whole meal were under closer medical observation, she said.
Doctors were monitoring the children and treating them at the hospital.
District Collector Visits Students
Tiruvallur District Collector S. Kavitha visited the government medical college hospital after learning about the incident.
According to the Collector, the students were told there was no need for panic. The report said students were in stable condition at the time.
The Collector also went to the school to assess what had happened and investigate the circumstances surrounding the preparation and serving of the food.
News : 36 students hospitalised after a lizard was found in their school breakfast
— Lala (@LalaXd) September 24, 2026
Dipke : See this is our education system, Will kids of BJP leader eat such food mixed with dead lizard? Don’t worry kids we are coming
Ranka : but this news is from Tiruvallur Tamil Nadu,… pic.twitter.com/uEUqRvrDdY
Food Safety Investigation Ordered
They started an investigation of the incident.
According to Dinamani's preliminary assessment of the district administration, negligence by the person who cooked the food was suspected. Food Safety Department officials were also asked to look at the premises.
Officials ordered that samples of the cooked food be preserved for examination. This could help determine whether the food was contaminated and what caused the symptoms of the students.
Food Safety Raises Concern
The incident has raised questions of hygiene and food safety in government school meal programmes.
School breakfast programmes provide meals to large numbers of children, so good food preparation, storage and inspection is crucial. Any contamination can lead to immediate health issues, especially if meals are served to young students.
Now authorities have to establish how the lizard entered the food and whether safety protocols have been followed.
