51 students fall sick after consuming midday meals in Bihar's West Champaran

Patna: A total of 51 students of a government school in Bihar's West Champaran district fell sick after consuming a midday meal on Friday, officials said.

The incident occurred at government middle school Babu Tola village under Parsa panchayat.

The students complained about stomach ache, headache, and vomiting soon after consuming the midday meals.

Soon the news spread in the village and the parents of the students immediately assembled there and took their wards to the Community Health Center (CHC) in Majholia block where doctors treated them

As three students were in a critical condition, they were referred to GMCH Bettiah.

As many as 32 students are still admitted in CHC Majholia while 16 students were discharged after preliminary treatment.

Following the incident, there was huge chaos in the CHC as family members of the sick students urged doctors to save the lives of their children.

“The midday meals are provided by an NGO. It has contacts with 171 schools in the district and 170 schools have not given any complaint. We are looking into the matter. The students are admitted in the hospitals and three of them are in critical condition," District Education Officer Rajnikant Praveen said.

"During investigation, a substance kept in a jute bag was found with the midday meal. We have collected the samples of food and sent it to the lab for testing. Treatment of students is our priority and we are looking into it," Praveen said.