Nearly 100 children fell ill on Saturday after consuming sweets distributed by a village head in Bihar’s Darbhanga district to celebrate Independence Day, police said.

The incident took place in Ranipur village in Darbhanga, about 200 km from here.

“The village mukhiya distributed sweets to mark Independence Day. But soon after consuming it, many children fell ill,” a district police official said.

The children complained of uneasiness after eating the sweets, followed by vomiting and were admitted to the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital. The condition of 20 of them is said to be critical, an official said.

According to reports, the parents and relatives of the children launched a protest and demanded action against the village head.