The number of children who died after consuming a midday meal in Bihar has risen from 11 to 16, in an incident which has caused shockwaves across the country.

The toll of children who fell ill after having mid-day meal at a state-run primary school in Bihar's Saran district, rose to 19 on Wednesday.

Confirming the deaths, Principal Secretary, education, Amarjeet Sinha said that he suspected the deaths occurred by organo phosphorous poisoning caused due to traces of insecticides.

As of late night Tuesday, District Magistrate Abhijit Sinha said 10 children died after the mid-day meal at Dharamsati primary school in Masrakh in Saran. But later nine more children died. More than 60 children fell ill too.

Over two dozen sick children have been brought to the Patna Medical College and Hospital after their condition deteriorated."Some ten children are still critical," a hospital official 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 the Saran Divisional Commissioner and DIG.

The Chief Minister had immediately summoned the HRD Minister and departmental secretary at his residence before rushing them to Chapra.

Nitish Kumar also announced a compensation of Rs 2 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.

The opposition meanwhile launched a scathing attack on the state government. RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, in whose constituency Chapra falls, said, "it is shameful that rotten food was served to children. There is no responsible governance in Bihar anymore".

Giriraj Singh of the BJP, which was until recently, a coalition partner with the JD(U), called on the government to step down. "If the state government has any integrity, it will resign and go for elections to see if the people of Bihar have any faith in them at all."

With inputs from Agencies