At least three students at the Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam College (girls), Tamarapalli in Srikakulam district were bitten by rats while sleeping in their hostel dormitory in the early hours of Tuesday, August 27.

Based on the student's information, the Gurukulam staff shifted the students to Narasannapeta government hospital.

College officials said that all children are safe, and students were discharged after administering the anti-rabis vaccine at the hospital.

However, the parents of the students have been expressing their anger over the school staff's poor maintenance of the dormitory.

According to Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam Schools/Colleges District Coordinating Officer (DCO) N Balaji Naik, at least 240 students have been studying in Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam College (Girls), Tamarapalli in Srikakulam district. They have been residing in a dormitory and attending the classes in the same campus.

On Monday, an unidentified student forgot to close the doors of the dormitory after returning from the washroom. Therefore, the rats that have been roaming in campus ventured into the dormitory and bit three students studying intermediate first year, when they were in deep sleep on Tuesday early hours.

Based on the students' information, the college staff immediately rushed them to Narasannapeta government hospital.

They were kept there for a couple of hours under observation and discharged after administering the anti-rabis vaccine as a precautionary measure. However, the parents of the students came forward to talk about the abysmal state of the school and hostel.

The parents of the girls expressed their anger over the negligence of the school authorities. They alleged that the bathrooms are dirty and there is an overall lack of cleanliness in the hostel.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam Schools/Colleges District Coordinating Officer (DCO) N Balaji Naik said, "Three students were bitten by the rats. The rats ventured into the dormitory as somebody forgot to close the door. We have immediately shifted them to hospital and administered anti-rabis vaccine. All of them are safe and sent back to the hostel. We have taken necessary precautionary measures to not to repeat such incidents. We have arranged rat mats (Glue Stick Mats) to catch the rats on the outside of the dormitory. We have also closed all the holes to not to give chance for rats to enter into the dormitory."