Nine Students Fall Ill Simultaneously at Belonia School, Parents Raise Questions

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 3, 2026

Concern and confusion have gripped the North Bharat Chandranagar Class XII School in Belonia after nine students reportedly fell ill simultaneously on Wednesday, with several of them complaining of similar symptoms. The incident has triggered concern among parents, while the exact cause of the students’ illness remains unclear.

According to information available, the affected students complained of chest pain and related discomfort. The situation reportedly began when a Class VII girl complained of chest pain. Subsequently, other students began reporting similar symptoms, leading to concern among the school authorities and the students themselves.

The incident has also sparked questions among parents regarding the circumstances in which so many students developed similar complaints at almost the same time. Some parents expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as the absence of an adequate role by the school authorities in immediately determining the cause of the problem.

However, the school’s Headmaster has ruled out the possibility of food poisoning. He said the incident occurred before the Mid-Day Meal was served at the school, making food poisoning from the school meal unlikely.

The Headmaster reportedly said that after the first student complained of chest pain, other students also began complaining of similar pain. He suggested that the incident could have been triggered by a mass psychogenic response (mass hysteria), in which symptoms can spread among a group following anxiety or fear, even when no common physical cause is immediately identified.

Following the incident, the school authorities informed the parents of the affected students. The children were subsequently handed over to their respective parents.

Despite the school’s explanation, the incident has left parents concerned, particularly because the exact medical reason behind the simultaneous complaints has not yet been conclusively established. The episode has therefore raised questions about whether the students require further medical examination to determine the actual cause of their symptoms.

With nine students reportedly experiencing similar complaints at the same time, the incident at North Bharat Chandranagar Class XII School has become a matter of concern for students, parents and the local community. A clear medical assessment of the affected students would be important to establish whether the episode was indeed related to a mass psychogenic response or whether there was any other underlying cause.

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