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| School meal kills 21 in India's Bihar state | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least 21 children have died and dozens more have fallen sick after eating a tainted school meal in India's eastern state of Bihar. | |
| The poisoning occurred at a government school in the village of Masrakh in Saran district. | |
| A probe has been launched and 200,000 rupees ($3,370) in compensation offered to the families of each of the dead. | A probe has been launched and 200,000 rupees ($3,370) in compensation offered to the families of each of the dead. |
| India's Mid-Day Meal Scheme provides free food to try to boost attendance, but often suffers from poor hygiene. | India's Mid-Day Meal Scheme provides free food to try to boost attendance, but often suffers from poor hygiene. |
| Twenty eight sick children were taken to hospitals in the nearby town of Chhapra and the state capital, Patna, after the incident. | Twenty eight sick children were taken to hospitals in the nearby town of Chhapra and the state capital, Patna, after the incident. |
| A total of 47 students of a primary school in Dharmasati Gandaman village fell sick on Tuesday after eating the free lunch. | A total of 47 students of a primary school in Dharmasati Gandaman village fell sick on Tuesday after eating the free lunch. |
| 'Food poisoning' | 'Food poisoning' |
| There are fears the death toll could rise as some of the children, all below the age of 12, are critically ill. | There are fears the death toll could rise as some of the children, all below the age of 12, are critically ill. |
| The father of one sick child, Raja Yadav, said his son was vomiting after returning from school and had to be rushed to hospital. | The father of one sick child, Raja Yadav, said his son was vomiting after returning from school and had to be rushed to hospital. |
| Doctors treating the patients say that "food poisoning" was the cause of the deaths. | Doctors treating the patients say that "food poisoning" was the cause of the deaths. |
| "We suspect it to be poisoning caused by insecticides in vegetable or rice," Amarjeet Sinha, a senior education official, told the BBC. | "We suspect it to be poisoning caused by insecticides in vegetable or rice," Amarjeet Sinha, a senior education official, told the BBC. |
| A doctor treating the children at a hospital in Patna said contaminated vegetable oil could have led to the poisoning. | A doctor treating the children at a hospital in Patna said contaminated vegetable oil could have led to the poisoning. |
| Patna-based journalist Amarnath Tewary says villagers told local reporters that similar cases of food poisoning after having Mid Day Meals had taken place in the area previously. | Patna-based journalist Amarnath Tewary says villagers told local reporters that similar cases of food poisoning after having Mid Day Meals had taken place in the area previously. |
| Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called an emergency meeting and ordered a team of forensic experts to the school. | Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called an emergency meeting and ordered a team of forensic experts to the school. |
| Bihar is one of India's poorest and most populous states. | Bihar is one of India's poorest and most populous states. |
| The Mid-Day Meal is the world's largest school feeding programme reaching out to 120 million children in 1.2 million schools across the country, according to the government. | The Mid-Day Meal is the world's largest school feeding programme reaching out to 120 million children in 1.2 million schools across the country, according to the government. |
| It was first introduced for poor and disadvantaged children in the southern city of Chennai in 1925. | It was first introduced for poor and disadvantaged children in the southern city of Chennai in 1925. |