35 Bihar students hospitalised after detergent allegedly mistaken for salt in mid-day meal

At least 35 students fell ill after consuming their mid-day meal at a government school in Bihar's Nalanda district, with some suffering stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness, officials said. The students were taken to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital, according to Dr Jayaprakash Singh, civil surgeon of Nalanda. Some others received treatment at Chandi and Andarsarai hospitals.

Dr Singh visited the affected hospital and confirmed that all the students were out of danger. The Bihar rural development minister, Shravan Kumar, visited the hospital and met the students and doctors. He assured a detailed inquiry to identify the lapse in meal preparation. The students had reportedly complained of stomach pain after eating their meal, claiming detergent was added instead of salt.

Some also felt dizzy. The principal of the school, Shailendra Kumar Singh, said the meal, comprising soybean rice, was served by an NGO as per the prescribed menu. Samples of the meal have been collected for further investigation. The headmaster and three cooks were suspended following the incident. District education officer Hemchandra said a show-cause notice was issued to the NGO responsible for serving the food.