Police arrest five people after toxic sweets kill 26 in Layyah

LAYYAH: Police arrested five people on Tuesday in connection to an incident of mass poisoning which killed 26 people.

The arrests were made during a raid at a chemical factory at Chowk Azam where sulphonylurea was produced. Police suspects that traces of this chemical were present in the sweets which the people ate.

The arrested men include the owner of the factory.

The incident took place at a family function at the residence of Umar Hayat in Chak 105/TDA area on Sunday. Hayat reportedly brought sweets from a nearby sweetshop located at Chowk 111 to celebrate the birth of his grandson. Five persons died on the spot after eating the alleged poisonous sweets, while several others fell unconscious.

At least 40 people were reported to have been affected after consuming the poisonous sweets, and were rushed to the hospital.

Hospital administration confirmed the death of three more patients today admitted at the Nishtar Hospital, where eight other patients are still being treated, raising the toll to 26.

The dead include children, women and men, including eight persons from the same family.