LAHORE, Nov 24: Three people died while five others fainted shortly after consuming a cough syrup in Shahdara Town area on Saturday.

The police claimed that all those who died or hospitalised were drug addicts and had been taking the cough syrup as sedative.

Shahdara Town Police Muharrar Tahir said eight people of three localities -- Gujar Mohalla, Pisni Piir, and Ilam Din Park -- consumed syrup and fell unconscious. Some of them were found fainted in streets and others in local parks.

Of them, he said, three youngsters identified as Shahbaz, Sikandar and Ramzan died on the spot while Shahzad, Javed, Yusuf, Aslam and Sajjad were immediately shifted to Mayo Hospital. Two were said to be critical.

Quoting initial investigations, Mr Tahir said, the police recovered empty and half-filled bottles of a company. All the recovered bottles were sent for laboratory analysis. The bodies were shifted for autopsy.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.