‘Pill challenge’ goes wrong: 6 students hospitalised after taking excess iron tablets in Kerala

Sasthamcotta, Kerala: A dangerous prank dubbed the "pill challenge" has landed six students in hospital in Kollam after they consumed an excessive number of iron tablets meant for nutritional supplement.

The incident took place at an aided school in Mynagappally, where a group of Class 8 students, all aged around 13, reportedly engaged in a challenge during their break time to see who could swallow the most iron tablets. These tablets had been distributed earlier in the day by teachers as part of a routine health initiative by the Health Department.

What began as a joke quickly escalated when the students collected extra tablets given to other pupils and began ingesting them in large quantities. Some reportedly swallowed as many as 10 to 15 tablets, with one student allegedly taking as many as 30 in a single sitting.

By around midday, the students began experiencing nausea and physical discomfort. Some reportedly started vomiting, prompting alarm among the teachers. Upon realising the severity of the situation, school authorities rushed the affected children to nearby hospitals.

Two of the students were admitted to the district hospital, while one was transferred to the Karunagappally Taluk Hospital. The remaining three are under observation at a private hospital in Sasthamcotta. School officials have stated that all the children are currently in stable condition and responding well to treatment.

The incident occurred around 11:30am on Tuesday morning, after teachers distributed one iron tablet each to students to be taken later at home. However, during the interval, a group of Class 8 students decided to turn the distribution into a game, initiating the so-called "pill challenge."

Upon learning of the incident, school authorities collected the remaining tablets from students to prevent further misuse.