A forensic report released Saturday confirmed the presence of a poisonous pesticide in the school meals that caused the deaths of 23 pupils in India, according to dpa. The children at a primary school in the district of Saran in eastern Bihar state fell ill Tuesday after eating the mid-day meal, which is served at all government schools to tackle malnutrition and encourage attendance. A laboratory test found monocrotophos in samples of the cooking oil, as well as on food remains on the platter and utensils, senior police official Ravinder Kumar said. Monocrotophos is a widely used pesticide in Indian agriculture. It is highly toxic to humans and animals, the officer told reporters in state capital Patna, quoting from the laboratory report. The report confirmed earlier statements by government officials that said traces of compound had caused the poisoning. -- SPA 21:17 LOCAL TIME 18:17 GMT تغريد
