School children in India were poisoned on Tuesday after eating a free school lunch tainted with Insecticide. Over a dozen children have been hospitalized while 25 have died as a result of ingesting the insect killer.
"It appears to be a case of food poisoning," a local government administrator told Reuters over the phone. "Had it been a clear case of natural food poisoning, so many children would not have died."
The children range in age from four to 12 and were enjoying a school lunch made up of rice, lentils and soybeans. Reports say the children began to vomit almost immediately after being served their meal. The school officials quickly stopped serving the food, students explained the symptoms came on so fast they did not know what was happening.
USA Today spoke with Savita a 12-year-old student who got a stomach ache after eating her lunch. Savita said she does not know what happened after that. The children were rushed to Patna Medical College Hospital where many are recovering.
On Tuesday the number of dead children was at 22, now Reuters has reported that number has risen to 25. With the number of dead children on the rise accusations as to how this could have happened have begun to surface.
When the number of dead children was made public the school's headmistress fled. School officials dismissed her of her post. According to Reuters the cook complained to the headmistress about the smell coming from the oil used to make food for the students.
The headmistress apparently insisted the cook use that particular oil, despite the fact the children had also complained about the food to the cook.
Protests broke out in the streets amid claims the government did not act fast enough in getting children to the hospital in time. Protesters say they caused the death of the children by failing to act. Local and government officials are looking into the cause of the mass food poisoning. Meanwhile restitution has been offered in the form of 200,000 rupees or $3,400 to the families of the dead children.
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