Death most foul: Two children dead, seven hospitalised

Police do not suspect foul play.

RAWALPINDI:

Two children died and seven other people were hospitalised on Tuesday after consuming tainted food in Jhand, Attock district.

Enjara Police Station Assistant Sub-Inspector Muhammad Imran told The Express Tribune, that Mehboob Khan, a retired subedar, and eight of his family members had fallen seriously ill after eating tainted food.

“First, his children Tehseen, 12, and Haris, 15, fainted unconscious and were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Attock,” said the police official.

He said they were discharged after getting treatment, but after getting back home, their condition deteriorated again and Tehseen died. However, DHQ Attock had referred the other family members to District Heaquarters Hospital Rawalpindi. Haris died while being shifted to DHQ Rawalpindi. Faisal Butt, a supervisor at DHQ Rawalpindi, said that one of the seven patients is still in critical condition.

Three persons have been referred to Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Hospital, while the other four are under treatment in DHQ Rawalpindi.

The police said they have collected samples of the food and sent it for lab testing. ASI Imran ruled out any the possibility of intentional poisoning. “According to the initial investigation, they have no enmity with anyone. We may start investigation other angles after receiving the lab report, but we found nothing suspicious from the house,” he said.

Quoting neighbours of the family, the officer said some poisonous insect or vermin might have fallen in the cooking pot. Those under treatment were identified as Mehboob, Mudassir, Umair, Malaika, Mehwish, Basit and Wahid.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2014.