Bhihar : At least eleven students died and nearly 50 fell ill on Tuesday after consuming mid-day meal served to them at a government-run primary school in Bihar’s Saran district, police said.

The incident took place at the government primary school in Dahrmasati Gandawan village at Mashrakh block, about 25 km from here, they said.

Saran District Magistrate Abhijit Sinha said the eight children died after the mid-day meal at Dharamsati primary school in Masrakh in Saran, about 100 km from here.

The children fell ill soon after eating the meal, which consisted of rice, pulse and soyabean, police said.

They were rushed to Chhapra sadar hospital where 11 of them were declared dead on arrival. The others are undergoing treatment, police said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a high level inquiry into the incident, sources in the CMO said, adding that a Forensic Science Laboratory team will assist in the probe, which will be conducted jointly by Saran Divisional Commissioner and DIG.

Nitish Kumar also announced a compensation of Rs.two lakh each to the families of the deceased. Of this, Rs.1.5 lakh is from the Disaster Management Fund and Rs.50,000 from CM’s Relief Fund.

Chhapra falls in the Lok Sabha constituency of RJD president Lalu Prasad.

In Bihar, widespread corruption is reported in the mid-day meal scheme and government guidelines on food quality are ignored.

In past, dead lizards, frogs, insects and a rat were found in the food cooked for the mid-day meal, angering students and parents.