MUZAFFARGARH
Agencies
Five members of a family including three brothers and two sisters who took poisonous food in Basti Jangla of tehsil Jatoi died on Wednesday in separate hospitals in Multan.
On Tuesday, 10 members of one family took poisonous food. All persons were immediately shifted to District headquarters Hospital in critical condition. They were later referred to two hospitals of Multan due to their precarious condition.
They had eaten breads (Roti) mixed with the poisonous tablets which are used to kill or keep away pests from wheat stock, police said on Wednesday. The deceased were sons and daughters of a villager, Ghulam Yasin. Investigation officer of Jatoi police station Ashiq said that Ghulam Yasin had got wheat flour grinded from a local Chakki (a small flour grinding unit). The wheat mistakenly had the poisonous tablets which got mixed in the flour after grinding at the Chakki.
Another agency adds: The members of the family and relatives fell unconscious a few hours after eating Roti cooked from that flour on May 24 evening and started vomiting.
They were rushed to a local hospital and were later referred to Nishtar Hospital Multan. Faraz died on May 25 and was laid to rest on May 26. His brother Sheraz died the same day and his burial was held on May 27, the investigating officer said.
On Wednesday, another child Shahbaz alia Ali, 9, and sisters Samia, 14, and Sajda Bibi, 15, also passed away and their funeral prayers were held at Basti Jangla. He said Ghulam Yasin was admitted to Rohillanwali hospital after remaining under treatment at Nishtar hospital.
Other family members affected by food poisoning, including Shehnaz Mai, 28, Muhammad Amin, Asma, seven-year-old sister of Ghulam Yasin and Misbah, were under treatment. Quoting relatives, the police officer said that they were planning to shift them to Children Hospital Complex Multan.
He said the police had sought a medical report from doctors regarding the cause of death. The tablets that became part of flour were usually kept to keep wheat stock safe from pests.
He said doctors told him that the gas emitted by the tablet powder might have affected their hearts fatally. He said the Chakki owner Riaz and Ghaffar (19), a servant, who was on duty to grind the wheat would be part of the investigation process. Faisal Khursheed, a doctor on duty in ward number 10 of Nishtar Hospital, said that they had received the patients on May 28 evening and washed their stomachs. However, their condition deteriorated during late hours and they died. He said samples had been sent to laboratory for biopsy test to exactly ascertain the cause of death.