24 children fall ill after mid-day meal at Deoghar school in Jharkhand

IANS May 15, 2025 211 views

In a troubling incident at a Deoghar school, 24 children fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal. The discovery of a dead lizard in the food has intensified concerns about the hygiene and safety of government-run meal programs. While the students are stable after receiving treatment, the situation has prompted local health officials to investigate thoroughly. Previous similar incidents in Jharkhand underline the urgent need for improved food safety measures in schools.

"Their condition has improved significantly after treatment." - Dr. Prabhat Ranjan
Deoghar (Jharkhand), May 15: At least 24 students fell ill on Thursday after consuming a mid-day meal at a government school in Mohanpur block of Jharkhand's Deoghar district.

Key Points

1

24 students sick after mid-day meal in Deoghar

2

Dead lizard suspected in food raises alarm

3

Prior incidents highlight mid-day meal safety issues

The incident occurred at the Government Upgraded Middle School in Jamunia village shortly after lunch was served.

According to local sources, the school was closed for the day after the meal was served. As the children began returning home, many started experiencing stomach pain and vomiting.

Alarmed by the situation, the school headmaster promptly called an ambulance service (dial 108), and the affected students were rushed to Deoghar Sadar Hospital for treatment.

The children, who were reportedly served dal, rice, and potato-gourd curry, began showing symptoms of food poisoning within an hour.

Deputy Superintendent of Sadar Hospital, Dr Prabhat Ranjan, confirmed that all the children are now stable and under observation. "Their condition has improved significantly after treatment, and if there are no further complications, they will be discharged soon," he said.

In a shocking revelation, villagers alleged that a dead lizard was found in the food served to the children. This has raised serious concerns about the hygiene and quality control of the mid-day meal programme.

Following the incident, a team from the health department visited the school and collected food samples. The samples have been sent to a laboratory for testing, and further action will be taken based on the results.

This is not the first such incident reported in Jharkhand. In March this year, 16 children fell sick after consuming a mid-day meal in a primary school in Nayagaon under West Singhbhum district, where a 6-year-old girl, Ayushi Gop, tragically died during treatment.

Similarly, in September last year, 40 children had taken ill after a mid-day meal in Mohanpur village under Dumka district's Masalia block.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is absolutely shameful! Our children's health is being compromised due to negligence. The mid-day meal scheme is meant to help poor students, not make them sick. Heads should roll for this repeated failure. 😡
P
Priya M.
Heartbreaking to hear about these innocent children. The government must implement stricter quality checks and hygiene standards. How difficult is it to ensure clean food for our future generation?
A
Amit S.
This keeps happening in Jharkhand repeatedly. The system needs complete overhaul - from procurement to preparation. Maybe involve local mothers in supervision? They won't compromise on children's health.
S
Sunita R.
Dead lizard in food? Seriously? 😨 This shows complete lack of basic hygiene. The contractors responsible should be blacklisted permanently. Our children deserve better.
V
Vikram J.
While we must condemn this incident, let's not forget the mid-day meal scheme has helped millions of children. The problem is implementation at local level. Need better monitoring and accountability.
N
Neha P.
As a mother, this terrifies me. These children come from poor families who rely on this meal. Instead of just sending samples to lab, officials should visit schools regularly to check kitchen conditions.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Your email won't be published


Disclaimer: Comments here reflect the author's views alone. Insulting or using offensive language against individuals, communities, religion, or the nation is illegal.

Tags:
Deoghar school incident Jharkhand news mid-day meal safety food poisoning student health