According to police, a public meeting had been organised on Friday where some Jain Munis had delivered sermons. Some rice, curry and khichadi from the food prepared for the delegates was sent to the ashram school in the afternoon.

The food was served as dinner to the students, who later complained of nausea and vomiting. They were rushed to the Wadia hospital in Malegaon city. The 11 students admitted were improving on Saturday morning according to hospital sources.

Bonanza for Nashik-Shirdi passengers: The Mumbai-Nashik-Shirdi taxi service operators today announced a curtailment in passenger fares up to 33 per cent.

The fares will be slashed from the existing Rs 215 per head to Rs 150 per head for travel between Mumbai and Nashik. For passengers travelling from Mumbai to Shirdi and back,the fares will be reduced from Rs 625 per head to Rs 450 per head.

A five-seater taxi will be available for a trip from Mumbai to Shirdi and back for Rs 2,250 as against the old rates of Rs 3,225. For passengers going on the Mumbai-Shirdi-Nashik route, the fares have been reduced from Rs 430 per head to Rs 300.

A spokesman of the taxi operators association said that there are about 160 taxies plying on the Mumbai-Nashik-Shirdi route. He said that the cuts were necessitated due to stiff competition by private bus operators and unauthorised passenger transport. He added that `genuine taxi operators were losing business and hence they had decided to slash the fares.'