Students fall ill at Assam Engineering College after monkey found in water tank
Contaminated water in a hostel tank led to sickness among students in Guwahati, according to reports from Urban Acres and The Sentinel.
More than 50 students at Assam Engineering College (AEC) in Guwahati fell ill after a dead monkey was found in an overhead water tank at Hostel No. 7, according to reports by Urban Acres and The Sentinel.
The incident came to light on November 2, after students reported foul-smelling water. An inspection reportedly revealed the monkey carcass inside the tank, which was suspected to have drowned on a Friday night.
AEC principal Dr Amrita Ganguly said 40 of the 80 hostel residents reported minor illnesses, including vomiting and stomach aches, while three students complained of diarrhoea. The Sentinel reported that more than 50 students fell ill and some were receiving IV fluids.
The affected students were treated at the Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital in Jalukbari. On Tuesday, doctors from the pathology department of Apollo Hospital visited the campus to conduct blood tests on all 80 residents.
Dr Ganguly stated that the monkey population from a nearby hill frequently enters the campus and often breaks water tank lids. She noted that the college has written to the Forest Department two or three times seeking intervention regarding the monkey menace.
The college has since cleaned and disinfected the tank and relocated the residents to another hostel. Dr Ganguly said the students have resumed attending classes.