A three-member high-level team was set up to inquire into alleged refusal by about 500 students of a school in Hazaribagh district to take mid-day meals because the food was prepared by 'dalit cooks'.
"A three-man team headed by Deputy Development Commissioner of Hazaribagh has been set up to look into it and asked to submit a report within three days," Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner Manish Ranjan told reporters in Jharkhand.
The inquiry was ordered after school Headmaster Tulsi Sao informed the matter to the administration.
Anita Devi and Jitni Devi were appointed cooks of Pahar Middle School at Keradari block by the Gram Siksha Samiti on March 27 after the posts for cooks fell vacant, Sao, also the secretary of the managing committee to oversee mid-day meal, said.
Sao said the students had allegedly refused to take meals yesterday and even ward member Umera Khatun, who was one of the signatories in their appointments, joined the students.
"We are trying to identify who had instigated the students to boycott meals and then we will submit a separate report to the Deputy Commissioner and the police to initiate action against the guilty," the headmaster said.