Kolkata: Detergent-mixed mid-day meal caused illness to 12 children in a government school in a village of West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district on Saturday, official sources said. After preliminary investigation, it came to light that the cook had mixed detergent powder with Khichhadi (mixture of rice, pulses and spices), mistaking it for salt.
The incident was reported from Chilimpur Primary School in Itahar village. The children began to vomit after consuming the food. All of them were rushed to a health centre in the village. The doctors said that they discharged 11 children from the hospital and kept one of them under observation. No sooner had the information about the incident spread than a large number of locals, including the parents of those children who had fallen ill, rushed to the school where they held a protest against the management. Senior government officials also rushed to the spot to pacify the angry locals.
