HYDERABAD, May 8 — About 165 children were taken ill yesterday after eating free school lunch in the eastern Indian state of Bihar.

Families of some children said a snake was found in the pot in which the food was stored, local media reported.

The government middle school which served what is known as the “mid-day meal” is located in a village in the Saharsa district.

More than 500 pupils were present but not all of them had eaten the meal before the snake was discovered.

The children were initially treated at the primary health centre for complaints of vomiting and stomach pain, but they were later transferred to larger medical facilities.

India’s Mid-Day Meal scheme is designed to combat malnutrition among children from poor backgrounds and to encourage them to attend school regularly.

Reports of children falling sick after consuming contaminated food or drinks at school are not uncommon in the country.

More than 100 children fell sick in the Mokama area of Patna in Bihar in May last year after a cook reportedly served food to them after removing a dead snake from it. — Bernama