More than a week after her disappearance, the principal of a school in eastern India where 23 children died consuming a free lunch tainted with pesticides was taken into custody, according to the New York Times.
Meena Kumari was reportedly on her way to surrender herself to officials when she was arrested, according to the district police chief, Sujeet Kumar. There are 23 deaths in connection to the poisoning.
The principal became the most wanted women in India after she fled her school in the village of Dharmasati Gandawa in Bihar's Saran district. According to the Times, she left the school when children began vomiting after eating their free lunch.
The food was later tested, and there are confirmed reports that the cooking oil used to prepare the food was laced with pesticide.
"Kumari bought the cooking oil from a store owned by her husband, who might have kept the cooking oil in a container once filled with pesticide," the police said, the Times reports.
During the incident, the other school's cook also fell deathly ill, so Kumari leaving meant the sick children were left alone. The school children had complained that the meal's taste was strange, but the principal told the little ones it was fine.
Parents were outraged, and some decided to bury their child in front of the school as a way of protesting the deaths, according to the Times.
District police chief, Sujeet Kumar held a news conference on Wednesday to discuss the case.
"This is not a simple case of accidental poisoning," Kumar said.
He did not provide additional details about the cause of the poisoning.
"The police are investigating the case," Kumar said. "They have arrested the key accused. It is a matter of further investigation."
However, Kumar did say he would do his best to help those who were harmed by the unfortunate incident.
"We can't bring back the dead children," Kumar said, according to the Times. "But we will do whatever we can for the development of the village and to help the families."
