Twenty-one schoolgirls were hospitalised after they fell ill at a residential hostel in Assam’s Dhubri district on Friday evening, June 26, with health officials suspecting heat stroke-like symptoms triggered by extreme weather conditions.
The incident took place around 7.30 p.m. at a girls’ hostel in Golakganj, where students from different age groups reportedly began experiencing severe physical distress. Hostel authorities immediately shifted all the affected students to the Golakganj Primary Health Centre for urgent medical attention.
After receiving first aid, the students were referred to the Dhubri Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) for advanced treatment as their condition was initially reported to be critical. Health officials and the school administration continued monitoring their condition through the night.
Jyoti Kumar Das, Joint Director of Health Services, Dhubri, said the situation was likely caused by the prevailing heatwave conditions in the region. He noted that all the students were in visible distress and indicated that heat stroke-like symptoms appeared to be the probable cause.
Officials ruled out food poisoning or any form of contamination, adding that no signs of a wider health outbreak were detected at the hostel. Most of the students responded well to treatment and were discharged from the hospital on Saturday morning after medical evaluation.
Authorities are expected to conduct an inquiry into the hostel’s living conditions, particularly ventilation and preparedness during the ongoing heatwave, to prevent similar incidents in the future.
