TAXILA, Jan 25: As many as 44 people — 24 females and 20 males — fainted after taking milk distributed by two persons as Niaz (holy drink) at Rehbar Colony here on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses and the affected people told this correspondent that around 8pm, two persons carrying buckets of milk came to the colony and after door to door visit distributed the sweet milk as Niaz in connection with the holy month of Muharram.

Soon after the two men vanished from the scene, the residents who had taken the drink started falling unconscious and were rushed to the tehsil headquarters hospital.

The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Ehsanur Rasheed told Dawn that 44 people including five minors had been brought to the hospital, adding that their condition was out of danger.

Officials of the local administration, police and other law- enforcement agencies reached the area and started collecting information to arrest the culprits.

Police said the motive behind the incident was to create unrest among the masses and disturb peace in the city. The police were busy collecting information and registering an FIR when this report was filed.