LAYYAH: The death toll from the mass poisoning through the consumption of pesticide-laced laddu in a Layyah’s village has risen to 32 as 12-year-old Aisha Bibi died at the Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, on Saturday.

Three other people being treated there left the hospital against doctor’s advice.

Victims, of Chak 105-ML in Layyah, started to fall ill on April 20 after consuming sweet bought from Tariq Hotel and Sweet in Chak 111-ML. Sajjad had bought sweet to celebrate the birth of his son.

Fatehpur police arrested Tariq and Khalid with their 13-year-old servant Hamid. Forensic lab report revealed that blood sample of the victims contained chlorfenapyr (pesticide).

Police said Khalid had confessed to having mixed pesticide “Exceed” in the dough of the sweets. Fatehpur police seized the bottle and produced him in the magistrate court in Karor Lal Esan where he recorded his confessional statement.

The Chief Minister’s Inspection Team has submitted its inquiry report to the chief minister to which he held a video link conference with the commissioner and the regional police officer of Dera Ghazi Khan on the issue.

He has suspended Layyah District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Ghulam Mustafa Gilani and made District Coordination Officer Rana Gulzar officer on special duty for the mismanagement of the incident.

District Police Officer Muhammad Ali Zia said they had interrogated 20 people in the case.

Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2016