SARGODHA: A woman was arrested from a school for allegedly trying to kidnap two students and spraying poisonous gas on the children and teachers present in the school.

According to the complaint filed by Sheikhanwala Primary School, in Bhakkar’s Darya Khan tehsil, headmistress Sundas Zahra alleged that a woman, later identified as Azra Manzoor, entered the school and asked the teacher to handover two children, Meenal and Farheen.

However, she claimed that on the teacher’s refusal, the woman started shouting prompting another teacher from an adjourning classroom to also confront the suspect.

She claimed the suspect sprayed poisonous gas on the two teachers and some children when she was asked to leave. As a result, four teachers and six minor students fainted and were taken to a hospital.

Suspect allegedly sprayed poisonous gas on children and teachers

Meanwhile, upon hearing the screams of the children, Rescue workers present at the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) camp in the school reached the scene and the woman allegedly also sprayed the same gas on them and they also reportedly fainted. However, due to the commotion, other teachers and people in the school caught the woman and called the police.

A police contingent reached the spot and took the alleged kidnapper into custody.

The woman was booked on charges of attempted murder and shifted to the Darya Khan City police station.

The police were investigating the incident.

The unconscious victims were shifted to the Darya Khan THQ where after giving them first aid, they were shifted to the Bhakkar DHQ Hospital.

As the news of the incident spread in the city, a large number of parents rushed to the school to inquire about their children.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025