More than 100 children are reportedly sick after a dead snake was found during a school lunch in India

India’s human rights agency said on Thursday that it is investigating more than 100 children fell ill after eating a dead snake after eating a school lunch.

“The chef reportedly took the food out of it and gave it to the children,” the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement.

It served the meal last week at a government-run school in Mokama City, Bihar, one of India’s poorest states.

The committee asked local government officials and police to investigate media reports that “more than 100 children fell ill” after having school lunch.

The committee said about 500 children reportedly ate the meal, triggering angry demonstrations from children’s families.

“The news about the children getting sick has led to protesters blocking the roads due to lunch consumption,” it said.

In public schools across India, free lunches are provided to millions of children, and authorities see it as a way to encourage children to continue their education.

According to the BBC, in 1925, the free meal was called the intermediate meal, first introduced for children with poor backgrounds in the southern city of Chennai (Madras). However, the BBC reported frequent complaints about poor food hygiene.

The commission said it requested “detailed reports” from senior state officials and police, including “child health status.”

The report added that it said it raised “serious problems of serious violations of students’ human rights.”

In 2013, 23 schoolchildren died After a meal pesticide In the Salam district of Bihar. The disaster has prompted the government to improve food safety in schools.