3 children die at Indore shelter home, 12 fall ill; food poisoning suspected

INDORE: Three children have died while 12 have fallen ill at a shelter home in Madhya Pradesh's Indore in the last two days. Karan (12) and Akash (7), both inmates of Bal Ashram of Shri Yugpurush Dham in the Malharganj police station area, died on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Alok Kumar Sharma said.
The exact cause of the deaths will be determined once post-mortem reports are available, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Alok Kumar Sharma.The ashram, located in the Malharganj police station area, houses more than 200 children, including orphans and those with mental ailments.
Hospital officials reported that 12 other children from the facility have been admitted to the government-run Maharaja Yeshwantrao Hospital (MYH), presenting symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. Two of these children are in critical condition due to dehydration, stated the hospital's superintendent, Dr. Ashok Yadav. All affected children are under the age of 14.
Indore collector Ashish Singh visited MYH to check on the children. Singh mentioned that according to doctors, "prima facie, it appears to be a case of food poisoning. A team, led by the additional district magistrate, comprising doctors and officials of the food department has been sent to the Bal Ashram for investigation."
Authorities clarified that the death of the 12-year-old boy, who experienced brain seizures, was not related to suspected food poisoning. The precise causes of death for both children will be known after a thorough investigation.
Additionally, the management of Shri Yugpurush Dham has reported to the Child Welfare Committee that ten inmates have a "blood infection." However, this claim has not yet been verified by the administration.