Doctors who examined nearly 300 children in Mokhada taluka in Palghar district on Saturday, said the children and their mothers were basically victims of starvation that has led to severe health issues among them. "These are cases of starvation. Not only the children, whom we examined, but their mothers have also been found to be starving due to lack of sufficient food," senior paediatrician Dr Hemant Joshi said after the checkup.

Of the total 295 children who were examined, 57 were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), of which four required immediate hospitalisation and specialised treatment.