Gandaman Primary School principal Meena Devi surrenders in Saran on Wednesday. (PTI)

Patna/Chhapra, July 24: Meena Devi, the principal of the school where 23 children died after eating a midday meal laced with toxic insecticide, was arrested today after eight days on the run.

Meena Devi, 48, the prime accused in the case, was absconding ever since the tragedy struck on July 16.

Meena, the principal of Gandaman Primary School in Saran district, about 90km northwest of Patna, was taken into custody in Chhapra by the special investigation team (SIT) when she was on way to surrender before the chief judicial magistrate around 12noon.

She was subsequently taken to the town police station for questioning.

Confirming the arrest, director-general of police Abhayanand said two separate FIRs had been lodged. “The SIT is probing the case from all possible angles. The principal of the school is being interrogated by members of the SIT,” he said in Patna, adding that prima facie, the incident appeared to be the fallout of a well-oiled conspiracy — a line taken by the ruling JD(U) as well.

Abhayanand said one case has been lodged in connection with the deaths of the 23 children. Another case is related to road blockade and causing hindrance to the discharge of official duty.

Saran superintendent of police Sujeet Kumar said a police team was deployed outside the Chhapra court after they got information that Meena Devi would surrender today. “The police team intercepted her while she was on way to the court,” he said.

He said the principal was under pressure after the SIT carried out raids on her suspected hideouts. Earlier in the day, the investigating officer, Raj Kaushal, petitioned the court to attach her property.

A few minutes before her arrest, Meena told some local reporters that she was being falsely implicated. Also, she said, her husband Arjun Rai didn’t own any grocery shop as claimed by the police.

“I am innocent. I have nothing to do with the incident. I am being deliberately framed,” she said. “How can one think of conspiring such a tragedy? Even some of my close relatives have died.”

The principal demanded a CBI probe. “The SIT constituted by the state government is biased. The state administration is bent on ruining my family and me,” she said.

The SIT is learnt to be probing the statement of Meena Devi, who, according to sources, alleged that her devran (younger brother’s wife), had threatened to teach her a lesson following a quarrel five days before the tragedy struck the school.

Ex-MLA claim: Former Basantpur MLA Manik Chandra Rai claimed that he, along with Meena Devi and her father Sabha Rai, had gone to the Saran SP’s residence on their own from where the principal was arrested.