Coimbatore : A group of parents of students of the Government High School at Thirumalaigoundenpalyam in nearby Tirupur district today wanted the District Collectore to take action against Dalit cook Pappal. The parents have alleged negligence of duty while preparing noon meals as a dead lizard was found in the food. This resulted in hospitalisation of 12 students recently.

The parents, came along with their wards to the Collectorate in Tirupur, raised slogans against Pappal and also in support of their demand, police said.

Twelve of the 31 students who consumed food, fell ill and had nausea, following which they were admitted to the government hospital on August 7.

Headmistress Sasikala, after an inquiry, had lodged a complaint that she found a dead lizard in the plate of a girl student, based on which police registered a case against the cook under IPC Sec 337 (causing hurt of endangering human life or personal safety of others) against Pappal.

Since there was no action against the cook, the parents came to the Collectorate and submitted a memorandum seeking a departmental inquiry into the incident which occurred the day after Pappal’s husband had
petitioned seeking protection to his family.

Pappal had claimed that she and her daughter had consumed the same food and there was a conspiracy to throw her out from the school.