More than 250 students hospitalised after suspected food poisoning in Bihar’s Saharsa

More than 250 children fell ill on Thursday after allegedly consuming a contaminated mid-day meal at a government school in Bihar’s Saharsa district. The incident took place at Government Middle School in Baluaha village under the Mahishi block, where students reportedly began suffering from stomach pain, vomiting, dizziness and uneasiness shortly after eating food served at the school. The situation triggered panic among teachers, parents and local residents as several children required immediate medical attention.

The affected students were shifted to the Mahishi Health Centre, where doctors and medical staff treated a large number of patients simultaneously. The sudden influx of children led to overcrowding at the health facility as medical teams conducted examinations and provided medicines. Officials stated that some students showing comparatively serious symptoms were later referred to Saharsa Sadar Hospital for further treatment.

According to students, rice and lentils had been served as part of the mid-day meal at around 10 AM. Rohit Kumar, a Class 5 student, said he developed severe stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness soon after eating the meal. Another student, Shivani of Class 7, stated that several children started falling ill almost immediately after consuming the food served at the school. Parents gathered at the hospital as treatment continued throughout the day.

Following the incident, officials from the district administration and the Health Department reached the area to oversee relief measures and review medical arrangements. Civil Surgeon Dr Rajnarayan Prasad visited the Mahishi Health Centre along with other health officials to assess the treatment being provided to the students. He confirmed that suspected food poisoning cases had been reported and stated that all affected children were receiving medical care.

Authorities said the condition of the children remained stable and appealed to families not to panic. The administration has launched an inquiry into the incident, and food samples from the mid-day meal are expected to be sent for laboratory examination to determine the exact cause of the suspected contamination. Local residents also raised concerns regarding food quality and safety standards in the school meal programme after the incident.