Thirty-two children of a private home in South Dinajpur district fell ill after having food served by a family on Thursday.

Two of them are under treatment at a rural hospital while others have been released as they recovered after medication.

According to sources, a family visited the Barail Upajati Kalyan Samiti home in Buniadpur of the district with food on Wednesday evening.

Chanmoni Soren, a supervisor at the home, said: “The family members said they had a social occasion at home and as there was extra food after the event, they thought of providing it to the home so that the children can have it.”

At night, the children, aged between two to nine years, were served rice, lentils, vegetables, fish, and some other items. On Thursday morning, some of them complained of pain in the abdomen. In due course, others also spoke of similar ailments. Some children started vomiting, while others had diarrhoea.

Authorities at the home took the children to the rural hospital in Rashidpur. While 30 children were released after medication, two were admitted to the hospital for their weak physical conditions.

Officials of the district health department suspect that the children had fallen sick because of food poisoning.

“We are conducting an inquiry. Those who run the home have been asked to be on alert and check the food before serving to children,” said Pulakesh Saha, the block medical officer of health of Bansihari block.

Supervisor Soren, while speaking on the issue, said it is a common practice that people provide meals at the orphanage for children.

“People often turn up with cooked food for the children and we serve it to them. However, after this incident, we will check any food that is provided for the children,” she said.