Two children suffered burn injuries after falling into a tub of boiled rice water while playing at an anganwadi centre in a school in Jharkhand’s Palamau district.

Shibu Kumari, 4, and Beauty Kumari, two-and-a-half, were rescued by people at Tarhari block and admitted to a hospital on Thursday. It is not clear why the boiling rice water had been stored instead of being drained and why the tub’s lid was not on.

A school cook and the sevika (helping hand) of the anganwadi centre — a rural child-care centre under the Integrated Child Development Services set up to combat hunger and malnutrition — have been showcased.

The anganwadi centre does not have a building of its own and operates from an upgraded middle school in Chhechani village, 230km from capital Ranchi.

“The two girls, aged twoand-a-half and four, were playing at the anganwadi centre when they fell into the tub containing boiled water extracted from the rice that was to be served during the midday meal. They were rushed to the sadar hospital in Palamau, from where they were referred to Palamau Medical College and Hospital. We have come to know that their condition is stable,” said Tarhari block development officer Sachidanand Mahato, who also serves as the child development project officer.

While Shibu is a student of the school, Beauty goes to the anganwadi centre.

“It was the negligence of the cook of the school and the sevika of the anganwadi centre that led to the incident. The cook should have thrown away the rice water. The sevika was not present at the anganwadi centre. Had she been there, she could have monitored the children,” Mahato said.