Mancherial: District Tribal Welfare Officer (DTWO) Gangaram was suspended for dereliction of duties and on charges of misleading higher officials by giving false information about the hospitalisation of 12 students of an Ashram school in the town. An order to this effect was issued by Collector Kumar Deepak on Thursday evening.
According to the order, Gangaram was placed under suspension for showing negligence in discharging duties and providing misinformation relating to hospitalisation of 12 students caused by alleged food poisoning that occurred at the school at Saikunta in the district headquarters on Wednesday. He was asked not to leave the district headquarters.
The tribal welfare officer reportedly delayed sharing of the information about the incident with district authorities. He then misled higher officials in Hyderabad when they sought information about the food poisoning by furnishing false data, causing inconvenience to the district administration.
The students vomited and had diarrhea after consuming food at the hostel. They were admitted to a hospital, from where they were discharged by evening. Officials claimed they had food with a pickle brought from home resulting in the incident. However, an inquiry was initiated into the incident.