85 students hospitalised after gas leakage in south-east Delhi

New Delhi: Eighty-five school students were hospitalised today after they complained of irritation in eyes due to gas leakage from a container depot near their school in southeast Delhi’s Tughlakabad area.

The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.

According to the police, a call was received at around 7:35 AM about some chemical leakage at customs area of Tughlaqabad depot, which is located near Rani Jhansi School for girls run by the city government.

Following the incident, teams of police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) as well as CATS ambulance reached the spot.

“Some chemical leakage at customs area of Tughlaqabad depot has caused eye irritation to the girl students in Rani Jhansi school,” DCP (Southeast) Romil Baaniya said.

The students were admitted to three hospitals.

The police said that the source of leakage is yet to be ascertained.

According to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the students are fine.

“85 girl students, who had complained of irritation in their eyes due to gas leakage, have been admitted to three hospitals. I spoke to doctors who told me that they are normal,” Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said.

He said that he has ordered the area district magistrate and SDM to launch a probe into the gas leakage incident at the container depot.

“There was an exam in the school which we have cancelled following the incident,” the deputy chief minister said.