Icchawar, Madhya Pradesh:
53 children were admitted to hospital today after consuming mid-day meals served at their school in Icchawar in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district. The condition of five of them is stated to be serious.
The incident happened around 11 am when the children, aged between 10 and 15, started complaining of nausea and vomiting after eating the special meal, prepared on the occasion of Independence Day, at the Balampur Middle School.
The students were rushed to the local hospital. Five of them were severely dehydrated and had to moved to the district hospital.
"We are investigating the matter and trying to find out the cause and who is at fault," said RK Bhadoria, Sub Divisional Officer of Police.
But locals allege that sub-standard ingredients were used to prepare the food which led to the students falling sick.
The district administration, meanwhile, has terminated the contract of the self-help group which was tasked with the mid-day meal scheme. A teacher, responsible for tasting the food before it is served to students, has also been suspended.