Jharkhand: Sisters die after falling into hot tub of mid-day meal

Sources said hot starch of rice was kept in an open tub after the mid-day meal was cooked in Chhechani Middle School of Sellari Panchayat situated near an Anganwadi centre. The incident occurred on November 24 when the victims who studied at the centre wandered near the school ground while playing and fell into the tub.

Palamu: Two sisters were burnt to death after they fell into a tub filled with hot starch of rice at a government middle school in Tarhasi block in the Palamu district of Jharkhand.

The victims were daughters of a local villager named Parmeshwar Sahu. They were first admitted to MRMCH in Medininagar after which they were taken to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi in view of their serious condition. The younger sister, identified as Beauty Kumari succumbed to her injuries late on Tuesday evening and the elder sister Shibu died on Wednesday morning.

Sources said hot starch of rice was kept in an open tub after the mid-day meal was cooked in Chhechani Middle School of Sellari Panchayat situated near an Anganwadi centre. The incident occurred on November 24 when the victims who studied in the centre fell into the tub whicle playing. The district administration provided assistance of Rs 50,000 for their treatment.

Block Education Extension Officer Parmeshwar Saav removed the school's Secretary and Principal Uma Devi from her post while issuing a show cause notice. Shobha Devi, the mid-day meal coordinator and the cooks, Kalo Devi and Savita Devi have been relieved of their duties. A preliminary investigation revealed that the incident took place due to the negligence of the school management.