100+ children sick after eating meal with dead snake in India

Children in Bihar state, India have fallen ill after eating school meal with a dead snake

More than 100 children get sick after eating meal with dead snake in India
More than 100 children get sick after eating meal with dead snake in India

In India, a dead snake found in school meal made more than 100 children sick.

As reported by BBC, India's human rights body is investigating the case, which took place on April 24, 2025.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a shared statement revealed that the cook responsible for the meal, served the lunch even after removing the dead reptile.

Along with that, it informed that around 500 children were served the food in the city of Mokama, Bihar state, in eastern India.

Following the negligence, locals came out to the streets to protest against the shocking incident.

The NHRC added, "The commission has observed that the contents, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the students."

Furthermore, the authorities also demanded a "detailed report" within two weeks from senior state officials, which should include "the health status of the children."

About free school meals in India

The free school meals, knows as Mid-Day Meal, were first introduced for children from low-income households in the southern city of Chennai (Madras) in 1925.

It was introduced to fight hunger and boost school attendance among children.

However, there have been several complaints of poor hygiene in the meals in recent years.

In 2013, contaminated food was cited as the cause of death of 23 school children in Bihar state.