Patna, Nov 22 (IANS): A dead rat was among the things served up as part of the children's mid-day meal Friday at a government school in the Bihar capital, police said Friday.

"A dead rat was found in the mid-day meal served in a plate to a student of a primary school at Saidpur here," a police official in Patna said.

"I wasn't able to believe my eyes for a while, but it really was a dead rat," the police official said.

School authorities prevented children from eating the meal once the rodent was discovered dead in it. The children were told not to disclose the matter to others, but some children went home and promptly spilled the beans to parents.

"Dozens of angry parents protested and expressed their displeasure over the negligence of school authorities," the police official said.

Patna district magistrate N. Sharvan Kumar said he was unaware of the incident. "I will inquire into it with concerned officials," he told reporters when asked if any action has been initiated against school authorities over the incident.

In the past, dead lizards, frogs, insects and also a rat were found in food cooked for the mid-day meals at schools in Bihar.

In Saran district of the state, 23 children died after eating contaminated food served as the school meal in July this year.