Over 100 children sick in India after snake remains found in school meal

India’s human rights commission has launched an inquiry into reports that over 100 children became ill after consuming a school lunch contaminated by a dead snake.

Nearly 500 children reportedly consumed the meal served at Mokama village’s government school near Patna in eastern Bihar state on 24 April.

The lunch was served under the midday meal scheme, the largest free-food-in-school programme in the world. The scheme provides free lunch to children in government schools to improve nutritional levels, increase enrolment and reduce dropout rates.

The National Human Rights Commission said the school cook was suspected to have served the lunch to children after removing a snake that had fallen into it.

It had asked the state’s top civil servant as well as the police for a detailed report on the incident within two weeks, the commission said.

“NHRC India takes suo motu cognisance of the media report about more than 100 children falling ill after consuming midday meal in Mokama area of Patna, Bihar,” it added. “The commission has observed that the contents, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the students.”

Many of the schoolchildren showed symptoms of dizziness and vomiting, panicking parents who rushed them to hospitals.

The incident sparked a protest in the village and outraged family members blocked the local national highway, demanding action against the school administration.

The midday meal scheme feeds an estimated 100 million children annually in India.

Incidents of contamination of food served under the programme have been reported in the past, with Bihar witnessing deaths as a result in 2013.

At least 23 school children died at Dharmasati Gandaman village near the capital Patna after eating a midday meal laced with "very toxic" levels of a pesticide. The incident caused widespread outrage, leading to violent protests and arson.