KOHAT: Over 40 children of a seminary in Bamba area of Kamardhand here were hospitalised after they were allegedly served with poisonous tea and rice on Saturday.

Sources at the women and children hospital said 41 children were brought to the facility, vomiting and having stomach pain.

The caretakers of the seminary, Al Madrassah Alfia, who brought the children to hospital, said the condition of pupils deteriorated after having breakfast.

The doctors and paramedics immediately conducted stomach wash of the children below age of seven and referred rest of them to the KDA hospital. The victims were also administered drips and tranquilisers.

A lady doctor on duty told Dawn that all the children would be kept under observation for 24 hours before discharge.

She said the samples of tea and rice had been sent to the laboratory for test to know exactly what caused the food poisoning. The students were safe, she added.

A child told Dawn that a student gave them tea and rice which had been delivered to the seminary during the night.

A doctor in the emergency of the KDA hospital said all the students were out of danger.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2016