New Delhi, July 18
Around 21 students of the Delhi Government schools fell sick today and were admitted to seven hospitals of the city after being treated with folic acid and iron capsules.

The students were administered with iron and folic acid tablets under the "Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation Programme" launched by the Delhi Government on Monday to curb anemia.

Eight students were admitted to Sunder Lal Jain Hospital, seven to Guru Teg Bahadur, two each were taken to Jag Pravesh Chander and Hindu Rao Hospital, one each to Hedgewar Aorgya Sansthan and BR Ambedkar. However, rest of the children got treated in the schools by the teams of doctors specially deputed for the purpose.

Students were admitted after they complained of stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, loose stool and metallic taste. The symptoms started appearing after about two hours of intake of tablets. The affected children though were discharged after the treatment they remained in hospitals for about five-six hours. No patient was reported to be in serious condition.

Clarifying on the matter, Minister for Health A.K. Walia said that these symptoms are documented to be experienced worldwide in the initial doses of iron and folic acid tablet in about 1 per cent of total beneficiaries. In case of Delhi, 0.01 per cent of the total beneficiaries have reported these common mild side effects, which, he said, is well within the acceptable levels.

"The body gradually adjusts itself to the intake of the iron and folic acid supplementation after the first administration and can be safely repeated in subsequent doses. All necessary systemic preparations for managing such events have been put in place," said Dr. Walia.

Yesterday, around 18 lakhs iron and folic acid tablets were administered to 15 lakh students of the Delhi Government, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board and all government-aided schoolchildren. In addition, two lakh adolescents under Anganwadi centres and one lakh teachers and Anganwadi workers and helpers in different parts of the city were also administered the same.

New Delhi, July 18
The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre, Delhi Police Commissioner and other police officials involved in beating up Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers who had gone to protest on June 19 against non-registration of FIR for rape at the Gokulpuri police station.

The notice came in a response to a writ petition filed by 19 volunteers who were beaten up and arrested, calling for an independent inquiry into the incident, severe action against the errant police officials and compensation to the volunteers.

The petition points out that the Delhi Police and Commissioner Neeraj Kumar have been deliberately and maliciously targeting AAP volunteers at the instance of the government and particularly after the AAP had held a press conference exposing his alleged nexus with jailed arms dealer Abhishekh Verma.

Among the volunteers was a 17-year-old girl, Beenu, who had earlier in April been slapped by a police official while she was asking for the shifting of a five-year-old girl who was brutally assaulted and raped on April 15 in Gandhi Nagar locality of East Delhi.

On the day of the June 19 incident, AAP member Manish Sisodia said the police officials of the Gokulpuri police station and other police stations, rounded the volunteers and beat them up mercilessly.

Further, accusing the police of incivility, insensitivity and high-handedness, AAP members noted, "The Government of India and Delhi as well as the police must understand that AAP and its supporters are not going to be intimidated."

"These are the people who have sacrificed their jobs, their time and money for a mission to change the corrupt system in the country and will continue to fight," they said.