Gwalior – A shocking incident at a government primary school in Gokulpur, Gwalior, sparked outrage on Monday after a frog was discovered inside the mid-day meal container just moments before the food was to be served. The sight triggered panic among students, who immediately refused to eat and raised an uproar inside the school premises.
Shock and Chaos Before Lunch
The mid-day meal bucket was opened shortly before distribution when staff noticed the frog floating in the food. The incident comes barely days after a similar controversy in Sheopur district, where students were served meals on waste paper sheets, raising serious questions about hygiene and monitoring of the government’s flagship nutrition scheme.
Staff Recorded the Scene, Alerted Officials
School staff quickly recorded a video of the contaminated meal and reported the matter to senior authorities. Gwalior Collector Ruchika Chauhan confirmed that a probe has been initiated. According to staff members and students, this was not a one-off incident—they had repeatedly complained about foul smell, insects, and poor-quality food in the past, but no corrective action was taken.
District Administration Swings Into Action
District Panchayat CEO Sojan Singh Rawat stated that the administration has taken the complaint seriously. An inquiry has been launched to identify lapses, fix accountability, and ensure such incidents do not recur.
What Happened Earlier in Sheopur?
Recently, a disturbing video from a middle school in Hulpur village, Vijaypur block, Sheopur district, went viral on social media. It showed underprivileged children sitting on the bare ground, without shelter, eating the mid-day meal served on scraps of waste paper. The visuals raised nationwide concerns over the dignity and hygiene standards of the meal distribution process.
Following the outrage, Sheopur District Collector Arpit Verma ordered an immediate investigation. The probe confirmed negligence. The self-help group responsible for the meal distribution was terminated, and the school principal was issued a show-cause notice.
The two back-to-back incidents have once again put the spotlight on the monitoring mechanism of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Madhya Pradesh—prompting parents, educators, and officials to demand stricter oversight to ensure the safety and dignity of schoolchildren.