24 children fall ill in Bihar upon consuming mid-day meal at

Twenty-four children fell ill on Friday at a primary school near here after consuming mid-day meal, officials said.

At the Fareedpur primary school in Kharik block falling under Navagachia railway district here, the children were served a meal of rice, pulses and a green vegetable shortly after which they began to complain of vomiting, diaorrhea and palpitation, Block Development Officer Sudhir Kumar said.

He said the children were taken to a local health care centre from where 18 were referred to Jawahar Medical College and Hospital in Bhagalpur as their condition had grown critical.

The hospital's superintendent R C Mandal said it was a case of food poisoning and all the 18 children were out of danger but they would kept under observation over night.

Meanwhile, an inquiry has been ordered into the incident, the BDO said.