Over 160 students of a government-aided residential school in Maharashtra's Sangli district were rushed to a hospital on suspicion of food poisoning, officials said on Monday.

The students, aged between 5 and 15 years, were admitted to address concerns of their well-being and are currently reported to be in stable condition.

District Collector Raja Dayanidhi has ordered an inquiry by the Social Welfare Department into the incident, which occurred at an "ashram shala", a residential school catering to tribal students, situated in Umdi in Jath tehsil during Sunday evening.

"Following the consumption of their evening meal, a total of 169 students presented symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea. Action was taken to transfer them to government hospitals within the tehsil. Presently, the condition of the affected students is stable, and they are no longer in immediate peril," he said.

(IANS/SR)