Eleven children had to be hospitalised on Thursday after they ate food at an anganwadi centre in Agra. Parents alleged that a dead lizard had been found in the food. The condition of seven children was said to be serious but stable. Four were sent back home after being kept under observation for a few hours.
The children complained of stomach ache and nausea shortly after eating khichdi in the anganwadi centre. “Some of them started vomiting. It looked like a case of food poisoning because when we checked, we found a dead lizard in the food,” said Sanjay Kumar, father of one of the hospitalised children.
District Project Officer Rajendra Kumar took the children to the hospital. He said that a sample of the food was sent to food and drug safety officials.
“Action will be taken against the agency that provided food to the anganwadi centre if it is found to be violating standards,” Mr. Kumar said.
“All the kids are stable and out of danger,” said Dr. Sudheer Kumar, the paediatrician treating the children.
