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Mass food poisoning a 'deliberate act'

Officials fear sinister plot as boys taken ill after eating lunch at Church-run hostel
Mass food poisoning a 'deliberate act'
Hostel students at state hospital
Published: May 03, 2011 08:04 AM GMT
Updated: May 03, 2011 09:36 AM GMT

A mass food poisoning outbreak at a De La Salle congregation run boys' hostel in Mannar diocese was a deliberate act possibly aimed at stoking ethnic tensions, Catholic officials said today. Some 65 boys were hospitalized on April 29 after falling ill during afternoon prayers soon after having lunch at the hostel. “Some kind of poison was added to the condiments or the food after it was served,” said Brother Sebamalai Santhiago, who is in charge of the hostel and assistant rector of St Xavier’s College, where the boys study. He was referring to police and hospital reports. A doctor later said food samples were being analyzed. He said initial inquires by him and several priests discovered that “someone entered the hostel and did this on purpose.” Police have sealed off the hostel and tests were being conducted on other food items in the kitchen. “Some unscrupulous elements could be trying to create ethnic tension here,” said Antony Soosaithasan, a parish councilor at St Sebastian Cathedral. He said the motive could stem from disputes within the diocese with state officials. The hostel, founded in 1951, has never suffered anything like this before and the incident has shocked local people Brother Santhiago said.  Some 88 students (aged 13 to 18) stay at the hostel. “Nobody has been arrested so far and thankfully all the students except one have recovered and been sent back to their parents for a week’s holiday,” he added. Mannar diocese has a population of about 280,000 of which some 83,000 are Catholics. Related reports Jaffna Muslims reopen mosque after 20 yearsYoung Catholics join Hindu festival SR14074

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