Not less than 22 schoolchildren died in northeastern India after eating free school lunches that contained a poison, a state official said.
More than 25 others have been hospitalized in Bihar state, said the Education Minister P.K. Shahi, after ingesting an insecticide that was in the food.
The poison was organophosphorous, a chemical that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says is commonly used in agriculture.
It is a nerve agent related to sarin gas, which is used in chemical warfare, the U.S. Health Department says.
Exposure to a high dose can cause an irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, paralysis and seizures.
Speaking to CNN, district magistrate Abhijit Sinha said an inquiry into the deaths had been launched. the children were between the ages of 5 - 12 and from Dharamsati, a village in Saran district, Bihar state.
It said their deaths Tuesday triggered violent protests today (Wednesday) in Chhapra, the headquarters of Saran district, and a call from politicians for a general strike.
Since a landmark Supreme Court decision in 2001, all government schools in India have been required to provide free meals to students younger than 13.
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