Patna: After 24 hours of the mid day meal tragedy, the bihar govt. revealed that a poison called organic phosphorous was responsible for the death of the children and not because of food poisoning.
This was confirmed by Bihar Education Minister P K Sahi on Wednesday. He, however, could not say whether the adulteration was a deliberate act.
“Investigation is on. We will soon find out who actually carried out such a criminal activity,” said Sahi.
Meanwhile, the toll rose from 11 to 22. Thirty-one more children were shifted in a critical condition from Chapra to Patna Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday morning.
“As of now, we have information of the death of 22 children,” sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Masrakh Kundan Kumar told Deccan Herald on Wednesday.
The police have lodged an FIR against school headmistress Meena Kumari. She has been charged under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 328 (poisoning) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). She and her colleague are absconding.
Sahi said they suspected poisoning due to organic phosphorous as traces of insecticide were found in the food.
Doctors attending the affected children have reportedly told him that “atropine was working positively on patients which showed that some kind of poisoning had taken place.” The food samples are, however, analysed by the Forensic Science Laboratory.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal observed bandh in Saran on Wednesday to protest against the tragedy.
