As many as 20 nursing students were admitted to hospital in Meerut on Friday after two tear gas shells accidentally landed inside their hostel at Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College during a police mock drill, according to reports.

The girls were admitted to the hospital after they complained of irritation in their eyes as the hostel filled with smoke from the tear gas shells, the medical college principal, Pradeep Bharti, told PTI.

According to the report, 12 of these girls had lost consciousness following the incident. However, Bharti said that the girls were out of danger.

He claimed that the local police had not informed them about the mock drill.

Senior superintendent of police DK Dubey said it was an accident. He said the police personnel were lobbing tear gas shells during a mock drill, but two of those fell in the hostel as the wind direction changed.