BAHAWALPUR, Feb 10: Around 40 passengers travelling in various economy class coaches of the Multan-bound Zakariya Express from Karachi fell unconscious after taking tea at Rohri railway station early Monday morning.

According to information, 15 people were admitted to Khanpur Civil Hospital, 15 to Ahmadpur East THQ Hospital and 10 to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital here. All the affected passengers reportedly regained senses.

BVH medical superintendent Dr Altaf Malik told this scribe that the hospital administration was put on alert by the railway officials at around 10am before the arrival of Zakariya Express.

He said ambulances were sent to the railway station to shift the affected passengers to the BVH. The 10 people admitted to the hospital were treated and out of danger, he added.

Three passengers Boota, Nadeem Akhtar and Shabbir, admitted to the BVH, said they took tea at around 3am from stalls at the Rohri platform. Soon after the departure of the train, passengers in different coaches started falling unconscious. The railway staff was informed about it which sent the affected people to hospitals in Khanpur, Ahmadpur East and Bahawalpur, they added.

They, however, could not confirm whether they took tea from one tea stall or different stalls.

No senior railway official was available for his comments.

Meanwhile, panic gripped the city when people heard the sirens of ambulances. A large number of people gathered outside emergency ward of the BVH to know what had happened. A heavy contingent of police was also called in to control the situation.

Those admitted to the BVH were identified as Boota, Nadeem Akhtar, Shabbir, Muhammad Ali, Sarfraz, Salim Iqbal, Habib, Shafiq, Muhammad Husain and Amiruddin.