Bihar : Death toll rose to 20 mid-day meal horror

Death toll of children who fell ill after having mid-day meal at a state-run primary school in Bihar's Saran district, rose to 20 on Wednesday.

Confirming the deaths, Principal Secretary, education, Amarjeet Sinha said that he suspected the deaths occurred by organo phosphorous poisoning caused due to traces of insecticides.

In past, dead lizards, frogs, insects and a rat were found in the food cooked for the mid-day meal, angering students and parents.

Bihar  : Death toll  rose to 20 mid-day meal horror

Latest development on this big story:

* Violent protests have erupted in Chhapra. People armed with sticks and rods set blaze a bus and damaged public property.

* 27 children are undergoing treatment at Patna Medical College And Hospital. They are admitted to hospital after consuming mid-day meal served to them at a government primary school in Dahrmasati village at Mashrakh block, about 25 Kms from Chhapra.

* Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also announced a compensation of two lakh rupees each to the families of the deceased. Union Human Resource Development Ministry has sent a senior official to Chhapra to take stock of the situation.

* PK Sahi, the state education minister, said a preliminary investigation suggests the food had traces of phosphorous, which is used to preserve rice and wheat.

* RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav who represents Chhapra Parliamentary Constituency, said: “it is shameful that rotten food was served to children. There is no responsible governance in Bihar anymore”

* "We had information of various complaints on the mid-day meal scheme in Bihar. We couldn't even think that children will die in such a way. This is a tragic incident. The Bihar government must take a note of it and take stringent action against the guilty," said BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain.

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