More than 250 children fell ill on Thursday, 7 May after consuming a mid-day meal at the Government Middle School in Baluaha, under the Mahishi block of Saharsa district, Bihar. The students began showing symptoms of suspected food poisoning shortly after eating, triggering panic among teachers, parents, and local residents. All affected children were rushed to the Mahishi Health Centre, where medical teams are currently treating them.

What Happened at the School

According to students, the school served rice and lentils as part of the mid-day meal at around 10:00 am. Shortly after eating, children began complaining of severe stomach pain, vomiting, dizziness, and general uneasiness. The sudden and widespread deterioration in health caused chaos on school premises, with teachers and parents scrambling to arrange medical assistance.

Rohit Kumar, a Class 5 student, told officials he experienced severe stomach pain, vomiting, and dizziness after the meal. Shivani, a Class 7 student, also stated that many children started falling sick soon after consuming the food served at the school.

Medical Response and Current Condition

The large influx of sick children caused heavy crowding at the Mahishi Health Centre, with doctors and health workers continuously engaged in examining and treating students. Civil Surgeon Dr Rajnarayan Prasad, along with other health officials, visited Mahishi to review the treatment arrangements.

Dr Prasad confirmed that cases of suspected food poisoning had been reported and that all affected children were receiving treatment. Students whose condition appeared comparatively serious were referred to Saharsa Sadar Hospital for advanced medical care. Officials stated that all children are presently out of danger and urged parents not to panic.

Administration Initiates Probe

Officials from the district administration and the Health Department rushed to the area following reports of the incident. The administration has initiated an investigation into the matter, and preparations are underway to send samples of the mid-day meal for laboratory testing to determine the exact cause of the suspected food poisoning.

The incident has sparked significant anger and concern among parents and local residents over the quality and safety of mid-day meals being served at government schools. Notably, this is not an isolated occurrence — food poisoning incidents linked to mid-day meal schemes have been reported across multiple Indian states in recent years, repeatedly raising questions about oversight and food safety standards.

Broader Concerns Over Mid-Day Meal Safety

The mid-day meal scheme, administered under the PM POSHAN programme, serves millions of school children across India daily and is a critical nutrition intervention for low-income families. However, lapses in food preparation hygiene, storage, and quality checks have periodically led to mass illness events. This incident in Saharsa adds to a growing list of such cases in Bihar and underscores the urgent need for stricter monitoring mechanisms at the school and district level.

As laboratory results are awaited, the administration is expected to take action based on the findings, with the children's welfare and accountability for food safety standards remaining at the centre of public scrutiny.