07 May,2026 07:51 PM IST | Patna | mid-day online correspondent
All affected students were rushed to the Mahishi Health Centre, where they are currently undergoing treatment under the supervision of medical teams. Representational pic
More than 250 children allegedly fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal at a government school in Saharsa district of Bihar on Thursday, triggering panic among parents and local residents, news agency IANS reported, quoting officials.
The incident took place at the Government Middle School in Baluaha under the Mahishi block area.
Soon after consuming the meal, several students complained of stomach ache, vomiting, dizziness, and uneasiness, leading to chaos on the school premises.
All the affected students were rushed to the Mahishi Health Centre, where they are currently undergoing treatment under the supervision of medical teams.
The sudden arrival of a large number of children at the health facility led to heavy crowding as doctors and health workers remained engaged in examining and treating the students.
According to Rohit Kumar, a Class 5 student, the school served rice and lentils as part of the mid-day meal around 10 am.
Shortly after eating the food, he began experiencing severe stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness.
Another student, Shivani of Class 7, said several children started falling sick soon after consuming the meal served at the school.
Following information about the incident, officials from the district administration and the health department rushed to the area to monitor the situation.
Civil Surgeon Dr Rajnarayan Prasad, along with other health officials, visited Mahishi to review the treatment arrangements for the affected children.
Officials said the condition of the students was stable and under control, urging parents not to panic.
However, the incident triggered anger and concern among parents and local residents over the quality and safety of the mid-day meal served at the school.
The administration has launched an investigation into the incident and preparations are underway to send food samples for laboratory testing to ascertain the exact cause of the suspected food poisoning.
Dr Rajnarayan Prasad confirmed that cases of suspected food poisoning had been reported and said all affected children were receiving treatment.
He added that students whose condition appeared comparatively serious had been referred to Saharsa Sadar Hospital for advanced medical care.
Officials stated that all children were presently out of danger, though the incident has once again raised concerns over food safety standards in school mid-day meal schemes.
(With IANS inputs)
