SHANGLA: Three brothers died and their four other siblings were hospitalised after they reportedly consumed some poisonous mushrooms here on Friday, officials and relatives said.

Taj Zada, a local resident, told Dawn that seven children, including four brothers and three sisters of a family, were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital, Alpuri, when their condition deteriorated after consuming some poisonous mushrooms at Dulu village, in Dehrai area of Alpuri on Thursday night.

He said the affected family was his relatives, and that he carried the children to the hospital, where doctors referred them to the Saidu Teaching Hospital in Swat.

Taj Zada said three brothers, Misbahul Haq, 16, Imtiaz, 11, and Nasir Ahmad, 7, breathed their last in the Swat hospital. He said condition of the other children was improving.

Ali Mohammad Majroh, an elder of the area, told Dawn that mushrooms were used as food in almost every household, but some species were toxic. He said people should check before cooking the mushroom varieties found in the mountains.

A similar incident had taken place in Chawga area of Puran tehsil last week when two minor sisters lost their lives after consuming poisonous mushrooms.

In a separate development, a 10-year-old boy drowned in the Indus River in Shwar Maira area of Bisham tehsil on Friday. The police said Mohammad Zubair had gone to the river for taking a bath when he drowned.

They said the Rescue 1122 and local divers were searching for the body, but it could not be fished out till Friday evening.

Meanwhile, a 10-year-old boy was killed after he was hit by a speeding van in Damorai area of Kana tehsil on Friday.

The police said Hamid Gul was struck by the van when stepped out of his home for school, leaving him seriously injured. He was being taken to a hospital when he succumbed to his injuries.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023