Guwahati: Forty-three students of Assam Engineering College (AEC) in Guwahati were taken ill after consuming contaminated water from a hostel tank in which a monkey was found dead.The incident came to light on Sunday morning after a few students of Hostel No. 7 of the college complained of a foul smell in the water, vomiting and stomach ache. The monkey reportedly drowned in the water tank of the hostel on Friday night.AEC principal Dr Amrita Ganguly said, “Forty out of 80 students complained of vomiting and stomach ache, while three had diarrhea. The students were provided treatment at the Government Ayurvedic College and Hospital, which is near to the college.”The principal added that doctors from the pathology department of Apollo Hospital visited the college on Tuesday to conduct required blood tests of all 80 students of the hostel. “Now, they are attending classes,” she added.The principal said it is suspected that the monkey drowned on Friday night as a few students complained of stomach ache on Saturday also. “The students were shifted to another hostel and the tank has been cleaned,” she added.The incident has brought to focus the recurring problem of monkey menace on the AEC campus.Dr Ganguli said a hill behind the college is home to a large monkey population, with the animals frequently coming down to the campus, particularly during the afternoon, in search of food. “Hundreds of monkeys enter the premises often. They break the lid of the water tanks often. Our students cannot even play in the playground due to their fear. It has now become a safety concern,” she added.The principal said one student was recently bitten by a monkey and had to undergo treatment. She added that the college has written to the forest department two to three times to address the problem. She further added the college does not have the resources or equipment to deal with the monkey menace.
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