New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed shock at the death of BJP MLA and veteran Jammu and Kashmir leader Devender Singh Rana.

PM Modi said on X, "Shri Devender Singh Rana Ji's untimely demise is shocking. He was a veteran leader, who worked diligently towards Jammu and Kashmir's progress. He had just won the Assembly polls and had also played a noteworthy role in making the BJP stronger in J-K.

"In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with his family and supporters. Om Shanti."

Rana (59), Union Minister Jitendra Singh's brother, was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Haryana's Faridabad, where he passed away.

Rana was a stalwart leader of the Jammu region and leading face of the National Conference, especially in the Jammu region, for decades before he joined the BJP in 2021.

He won the recent assembly polls from the Nagrota constituency with the highest margin in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.

The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.

The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.

“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.

“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.

Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.

Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.

“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.