At Least 34 Children in Bihar Hospitalised After Detergent is Allegedly Served in Mid-Day Meal Instead of Salt

New Delhi: At least 34 children in Bihar’s Nalanda district have fallen ill after eating a mid-day meal in which allegedly detergent powder was mixed instead of salt “by mistake.”

The students of Parsa Middle School in Nalanda complained of stomach pain accompanied by a burning sensation in their throats and stomach pain on Tuesday, following which they were rushed to the government hospital in Biharsharif, reported The Hindu.

One of the hospitalised students told the local press that they were served rice along with a potato-soybean vegetable dish.

“Instead of salt, it seemed detergent powder was used in the food, leading to stomach pain. Many students went unconscious after eating the food,” said the student.

The Hindu quoted a parent Rajeev Kumar, who said that when he reached the hospital, he saw children were vomiting and many even fell.

Shailendra Kumar Singh, the headmaster of the school said that the staff served detergent powder instead of salt “by mistake”.

“Out of three cooks in the kitchen, one female cook was feeding the children, and a few children demanded salt, and by mistake, the staff served detergent powder instead of salt. The mid-day meal is supplied by an NGO,” said Singh.

Nalanda civil surgeon Jai Prakash Singh confirmed that it was a case of food poisoning.

“The health condition of all the children is stable. All will be fine,” said Singh.

However, Nalanda’s district education officer (DEO) Hemchandra dismissed the claims of the families and children that detergent was mixed into the food.

He said that a detailed investigation is being conducted and the actual cause of the children’s illness will only come to light once the medical report is received from the hospital.

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