After children losing their lives and falling ill due to poisonous mid-day meal at their school in Bihar nearly a fortnight back, at least 11 students fell sick after drinking water from a hand pump erected near Government Middle School at Malanpura village under Bheldhi police station area in Saran district of the State on Thursday.
District Magistrate of Patna Abhijeet Sinha told newspersons in Chhapra that children started vomiting and complained about uneasiness after drinking water from the hand pump. He said that a few children also claimed that some white substance was coming out from the hand pump along with the water. A few white substances in the shape of tablets were also reportedly recovered from the spot. He said that all children were rushed to the Primary Health Centre at Bheldhi and subsequently two of them were referred to the Sadar Hospital.
As a precautionary measure, all 11 children were sent to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in four ambulances by the district administration. A PMCH doctor said that condition of all children was stable. Meanwhile, a Block Education Officer was made captive for a few hours by an irate mob of villagers in protest against the incident. The mob also held strong demonstration before the DM when he reached the spot.