A man put an insecticide in water meant for cooking food at a hostel for tribal students in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district. Alert hostel employees spotted him in the act and a tragedy was averted, an official said Monday.
The incident took place Sunday, hostel superintendent Vijay Kumar Salve told reporters.
A case has been registered at Bhainsadehi police station in Betul district, about 170 km from state capital Bhopal.
The man put the insecticide in the water to be used for cooking pulses and fled. But he was spotted by the employees who informed their superiors, an official said.
The poisoned water has been sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis.
In Bihar, 23 children had died after eating contaminated food at their school July 16.