Agra, April 24 : Nearly 40 school children were injured in a bee attack in the Bah region of Uttar Pradesh's Agra district on Tuesday, officials said.

The attack resulted in six children being hospitalised.

According to sources, the sudden collapse of a beehive from a nearby tree triggered the attack, catching the unsuspecting children off-guard.

School staff quickly evacuated the affected area, but not before numerous students and faculty members fell victim to the bee stings.

Parents of the injured children gathered outside the school premises, alleging negligence by the administration and its failure to ensure student safety. They claimed that the school was aware of the hive near the school gate but took no action.

Meanwhile, school principal Manju Rani Tyagi defended the administration and said that the beehive was located outside the premises, making the attack seem very unlikely.

She said that the injured students were promptly taken to the community health centre in Bah for medical care and the school was shut temporarily.

Jitendra Verma, Superintendent of the Bah Community Health Centre, confirmed that six children arrived in critical condition and were referred to S.N. Medical College after initial treatment.

/IANS