At least 20 children died and dozens were taken to hospital with apparent food poisoning after eating a meal provided free by their school in the Indian state of Bihar,education minister said on Wednesday.
The development sparked violent protests across the state.
Police said the children, aged eight to 11, fell ill after eating a lunch of rice, soybean and pulses on Tuesday.
The school, in the district of Chapra, provided free meals under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the world's largest school feeding programme involving 120 million children.
Education minister M.M. Pallam Raju said a school cook also died after apparently eating the meal. The initial death toll of eight shot up to 20 on Wednesday.
The exact cause of the deaths will be known only after the postmortem examinations and food sample tests, doctors and state officials said.
Food poisoning occurs when food or water contaminated with harmful microbes (germs), toxins or chemicals is eaten or drunk.Find Tips to protect your Kid from food poisoning.
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