9 kids die of food poisoning in Bihar

Nine children have died and more than 50 taken ill after they consumed poisoned prasad at a religious festival in Hajipur district, official sources said today.

District Magistrate H.R. Srinivasan said it was suspected that a lizard fell into the milk while the prasad was being prepared for a function in Raghopur’s Birangabad diera on Friday. On Sunday, the children who ate the sweet complained of stomach ache and diarrhoea. Those who were immediately taken to the hospital survived, while nine children died — seven on Sunday and two today.

Srinivasan said the children were aged between two and 10 years. At least 40 children are being treated by a special medical team that was rushed to the village after the incident. More than a dozen children have been brought to Patna, sources said.