Agra: 150 school kids fall sick after consuming milk during mid-day meal

As many as 150 school children in a primary school in Agra district were hospitalised after they took ill after consuming milk distributed during mid-day meal on Wednesday. By the time medical aid was made available to them, the condition of about 25 children had become serious. Fifteen of them were later referred to the Agra district hospital.

Speaking to Network 18 online, Agra District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar said the incident took place at the primary school in Oontgiri village of Kheragarh Tehsil. Soon after drinking the milk, the children began complaining of uneasiness and began vomiting. Some of them vomited blood. They were provided treatment at the Kheragarh Health Center and later 15 of them were sent to the Agra district hospital in a critical condition. Some of them are now recovering while some remain under observation. He said the issue was being investigated and whoever was found guilty, will be punished accordingly.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kheragarh Arun Kumar said that prima-facie the case appears to be that of food poisoning and 20-25 kids appear to have been seriously affected by it. The administration was conducting an inquiry and action will be taken against those guilty of this irresponsible act.

Rajkumari, whose child was admitted in the district hospital following the incident, said that she had no idea what they were serving at the school in the name of milk. She claimed that almost all the children who consumed the milk began vomiting soon afterwards which indicates that there was something poisonous in the milk.

Social activist Deep Sharma said that mid-day meal was not serving any useful purpose and was only distracting teachers from their actual duties. He said that the food which was prepared in unhygienic conditions and also served in similar conditions was dangerous for the children.