At least 34 children fall ill after detergent served instead of salt in Bihar school’s midday meal

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Nalanda MLA Shrawon Kumar, who is also the Rural Development Department Minister, visited the Biharsharif Sadar Hospital and met the hospitalised children to inquire about their condition. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

At least 34 children of Parsa Middle School in Bihar’s Nalanda district fell ill after eating a midday meal in which detergent powder was allegedly served instead of salt “by mistake”.

After eating the meal on Tuesday (August 18, 2026), the children complained of a burning sensation in their throats and stomach pain, causing panic within the school premises. All the children were then rushed to the government hospital in Biharsharif.

Nalanda Civil Surgeon Jai Prakash Singh said that it was a case of food poisoning. “The health condition of all the children is stable. All will be fine,” he added.

Priti Kumari, who was one of those hospitalised, told the local press that they were served rice along with a potato-soybean vegetable dish. After eating the food, she smelled detergent powder in the midday meal. “Instead of salt, it seemed detergent powder was used in the food, leading to stomach pain. Many students went unconscious after eating the food.”

One parent, Rajveer Kumar, who went to see his daughter (Chandni Kumar) at the Biharsharif Sadar Hospital, Nalanda, said, “I got the information about the children being hospitalised after eating a mid-day meal. When I reached the hospital, I saw children were vomiting; many even fell.”

Headmaster of the school, Shailendra Kumar Singh, said that the staff served detergent powder instead of salt “by mistake”.

“Out of three cooks in the kitchen, one female cook was feeding the children, and a few children demanded salt, and by mistake, the staff served detergent powder instead of salt. The midday meal is supplied by an NGO,” Mr. Singh said.

However, Nalanda’s District Education Officer (DEO) Hemchandra categorically dismissed the claims of the families and children that detergent was mixed into the food.

He asserted that a thorough investigation is under way and that the actual cause of the children’s illness will only come to light once the medical report is received from the hospital.

He also issued a warning saying that strict action would be taken against those found guilty in this matter. He asserted that legal and departmental action would be taken against them.

Nalanda MLA Shrawon Kumar, who is also the Rural Development Department Minister, visited the Biharsharif Sadar Hospital and met the hospitalised children to inquire about their condition, consulted the doctors regarding their health status, and issued instructions to ensure they received the best possible treatment.

After meeting the children, Mr. Kumar said that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine exactly where the lapse occurred while serving the midday meal. He assured that strict action would be taken against any personnel found guilty during the inquiry.