PATNA: Eleven children have died and several others have been taken ill after eating infected midday meal at a government school in Saran district.

The incident took place in Dharamsati primary school in Masrakh in Saran.

According to reports, over 50 children, all in the age group of 8 to 12 years, were taken ill after consuming khichdi, offered to them in midday meal.

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.

Following the incident, chief minister Nitish Kumar has called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation. The chief minister has also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the family of children who died. Of this, Rs 1.5 lakh is from the disaster management fund and Rs 50,000 from CM's relief fund.

Angry over the deaths, hundreds of people took to the streets in protest and surrounded the local police station demanding action against school teachers and officials responsible.

Meanwhile, forensic team has been rushed to the spot to take sample of the contaminated food and probe the incident.

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

( With inputs from PTI)