Cooker lid blows off during school lunch in Mumbai; 3 injured

Police said the cook had prepared Khichdi for the students and was trying to open the pressure cooker to serve it.

A routine school lunch turned into a panic scene on Tuesday afternoon when a pressure cooker containing Khichdi suddenly blew open at a Zilla Parishad school in Sopara village area of Nalasopara West, seriously injuring two students and the cook. The children, who were being served the meal under the Mid-Day Meal scheme, suffered burns from the hot food and steam and were rushed to a nearby municipal hospital along with the injured cook.

Police said the cook had prepared Khichdi for the students and was trying to open the pressure cooker to serve it when the lid suddenly blew off with force. (HT Photo)

The incident took place during the lunch break at the school. Police said the cook had prepared Khichdi for the students and was trying to open the pressure cooker to serve it when the lid suddenly blew off with force.

Ayush Chaudhary, a Class 3 student, and Prasad Gautam, a Class 4 student, suffered serious burn injuries in the incident. The cook also sustained burns.

The sudden blast caused panic in the school, with teachers and staff rushing to help the injured children. They were immediately taken to a nearby municipal hospital for treatment.

The incident has raised concerns about safety measures in the school kitchen, particularly the handling of pressure cookers used to prepare meals for students under the Mid-Day Meal arrangement. The administration is investigating the exact cause of the incident.