India investigates reports of snake found in school lunch linked to student poisoning incident.

Reports of a dead snake being found in a public school lunch have prompted an investigation by authorities in India. In the northeastern town of Mokama, over 100 students fell ill after consuming a meal last week, according to a statement from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The incident reportedly occurred when a school cook served food to around 500 children after allegedly removing a dead snake from it. The NHRC has requested a comprehensive report from local police within two weeks to evaluate the health status of the affected children.

The commission highlighted that if these claims are substantiated, it would be a significant violation of the students’ human rights. This situation has sparked outrage among locals, leading to road blockades in protest.

Despite India’s progress in achieving food sufficiency and economic growth, the country still struggles with food security. It is home to a quarter of the world’s hungry population and over 190 million undernourished individuals, as reported by the United Nations.

In response to hunger issues, the Indian government implemented the Mid Day Meal Scheme in 2001, providing free lunches to children in public schools for at least 200 days each year. This program is the largest school food initiative globally, benefiting over 113 million children aged 6 to 10.

Concerns over food safety in school meals are not uncommon in India. A tragic incident in 2013 saw at least 23 children lose their lives after consuming a free school lunch that was contaminated with concentrated pesticide.

The affected students fell ill shortly after eating, exhibiting severe symptoms such as vomiting and convulsions.