Police case filed against absconding headmistress, says Chhapra's district magistrate

The district magistrate of Chhapra in Bihar, Abhijit Sinha, said on Saturday that a police case has been filed against the absconding headmistress of the school which had served contaminated mid-day meals to students, resulting in the death of 23 of them. Sinha also said that police have launched a search for her.

"A police case has been registered under Section 302 and 328 for poisoning. This is not only a criminal case, but also a case of gross negligence on the part of the principal," he said.

Sinha further said there were clear violations by the headmistress in this case which led to the death of those children.

"The food was supposed to be tasted by the principal and the cook before serving it to the children. Even the place where the food was made was not the school, but in the community hall, compromising on hygiene," he said.

About 23 children have died so far after eating a free mid-day meal at their school in Bihar's Chhapra district on July 16 and several others are undergoing treatment at the Patna Medical College and Hospital.

A day after this incident, many kids took ill in Bihar's Madhubani district and had to be rushed to hospital when they complained of severe stomach cramps after eating the food served to them.

A high-level inquiry set up by the Bihar Government to probe the midday meal tragedy, has blamed the principal for it.