COVID-19 Lockdown: Children Caught Eating Frogs to Fight Hunger in Bihar, Authorities Order Probe

Patna: A day after it was reported that some children in Bihar’s Jehanabad district, have been allegedly consuming frogs due to lack of food during the ongoing lockdown, the district administration have ordered an inquiry into the matter.

In a big embarrassment to the NDA government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a video clip went viral on Sunday, April 19, in which a group of half naked minor children can be seen eating frogs. The children claimed that they had been left with no other option but to eat frogs since the last four days to fight hunger.

Taking note of viral video on social media, Jehanabad District Magistrate Naveen Kumar on Monday ordered a probe into it. “The district administration will inquire into the matter to find the truth in it, or whether it was a conspiracy by anti-social elements to defame the government,” a district official said.

“A team of officials of district administration has visited the site depicted in the viral video and interrogated the children and a woman, who claimed that they have been forced to eat frogs to get rid of hunger due to lack of food,” the official added.

The video showed that these children have been catching frogs from nearby dirty water bodies in Ward no 9 near Ramgarh mohalla in Jehanabad town, about 50 km from Patna, and eating after roasting them.

Also read: COVID-19: Poorest of Poor Roaming on Streets for Food and Fuel in Bihar

The children claimed that no food had been cooked in their families for days, forcing them to eat frogs to fight hunger. “Our parents have no source of livelihood as everything is shut and there has been no help from the government yet. We have found an easy solution to catch frogs, roast them and consume. At least we manage to end our hunger,” they can be heard saying in the video.

The Opposition leaders have launched a scathing attack on the Nitish Kumar-led government’s failure in handling the situation during the lockdown and provide ration to the needy.

Former Union Minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief Upendar Kushwaha criticised Nitish Kumar, saying that anyone would be ashamed by such a situation, but the CM has no compassion and pain for them.

In another such incident last week, it was reported that a home tutor based in Bhagalpur had requested the local administrative official to provide food for his two minor daughters as they were on the verge of starvation. There are several such reports coming from different parts across the state that people are facing hunger like situation during lockdown in the absence of any earning .Some have turned to begging or requesting for alms by visiting residential localities risking police action and fear of COVID-19.