As many as three persons died of taking poisonous food here on Friday.
A 40-year-old Ambar, wife of Javed Masih, and her daughter, Honey, 11 died due to consuming poisonous food, while Mano, 7, and Pamy, 9, fell unconscious near Jaral Shah locality. They were brought to CMCH for treatment. Javed told police and duty staff that they came here from Lahore for treatment of his wife few days back and were returning home when this incident took place. He said his two other daughters had been admitted to Paeds Medicine Department of the Chandka Medical College Hospital. Both the bodies were shifted to mortuary for legal formalities.
In another incident, two youngsters, 17-year-old Naveed Kumbhar and 15-year-old Kashif Magsi were brought unconscious to CMCH casualty on Friday but one of them, Magsi, died. Both were labourers and had gone to village Zakaria Mahesar to earn their livelihood, according to initial police reports. Their relatives suspected they might have been poisoned.
On hearing the death news, the relatives of Magsi started beating paramedics who were on government duty. The doctors and other staff came out of the ward and refused to perform their duties. They reached the nearby office of medical superintendent and took refuge there. Police were called in immediately to prevent escalation of dispute. The employees resumed duties and assured them of their full protection. Chief CMO Dr Hafiz Gulab Morio also persuaded them to remain peaceful.
It may be mentioned here that such acts of hooliganism have already taken place several times in the past for which the divisional and district administrations have been constantly informed by the hospital administration and Pakistan Medical Association members to establish permanent police picket at casualty but nothing had yet been done in this regard.
