NEW DELHI, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 136 school children were taken ill after consuming contaminated meal in India's southern state of Kerala, officials said Friday.

The students from lower primary school at village Thonnakkal, about 24 km north of Thiruvananthapuram -- the capital of Kerala, were hospitalized Thursday night at Medical College SAT hospital after they complained of uneasiness showing symptoms of food poisoning.

"All the children are stable and we have discharged 20 of them," Prasan Kumar, a spokesman at medical college told Xinhua over telephone. "Right now 116 children are in the hospital undergoing treatment."

Authorities have seized samples of food consumed by children from the school.

Parents of the children told officials their children were served eggs and curry in the school.

In India free Mid-Day Meal Scheme was launched by government some years back to tackle hunger and boost attendance in the government-run primary schools.

However, the scheme suffers because of poor hygiene.

In 2013, at least 22 children died and dozens more were taken ill after eating lunch at a school in Bihar state.