Once again Bihar is in the news all for the wrong reasons. At least fifty students of a government-run primary school fell ill on Friday after having their midday meal in which a dead lizard was found, a district official reported.

When the pitch of protests got shriller, the district administration ordered the suspension of two officials concerned, including the school headmaster and an FIR has been lodged against both of them.

Sadly, this is the fourth such incident in the last one month in the state.

An official in Bhagalpur reported children complained of discomfort after eating the food at Bahtara primary school at Raghopur near Naugachia.

Though, after getting first-aid at primary health center there they are reportedly out of danger, but the question still haunts people there why such incidents recur. They demanded exemplary punishment to those who are found guilty.

"We have asked the official concerned to conduct an inquiry and submit a report soon. The guilty officials or teachers will face action," an official added.

Meanwhile, the police collected samples of the meal, the official said. Doctors who examined the children, however, did not find any sign of poisoning.

Last Saturday, 12 students fell ill in Buxar district after eating their mid-day meal at a government school, officials said.

In Vaishali district 33 students fell sick July 18, and in Siwan district 25 others took ill July 11 after their mid-day meals.

In early July, a dead snake was found in the mid-day meal served to students.

According to education department officials, there have been 14 cases of poisoning in the past seven months in the state, including Friday's incident from Bhagalpur.

Last year, 23 students died after eating meal at a primary school in Saran district.

In Bihar, 16 million students get food under the mid-day meal scheme, which is running in 72,000 schools across the state.