BAHAWALPUR: A female farm worker and two minor children died after they took ‘contaminated’ kakri (long melon) while 16 others, most of them women and children, fell unconscious in a Choilistan village ear Yazman, about 50km from here, on Sunday.

According to emergency service 1122, Bahawalpur, nearly 20 women and their children were busy in picking cotton in village 74/DB.

During the lunch break, they consumed kakri sown in a field adjacent to cotton crop reportedly sprayed with pesticides recently.They were rushed to the Yazman THQ hospital where a woman and two children died.

Two of the injured were said to be in critical condition. Police said they were looking into the matter.

MURDER: A young girl was shot dead in mysterious circumstances near Tanga Adda, Sammasatta, on Sunday.

According to rescue 1122, initial reports quoting family members suggested that a boy was cleaning his rife which went off accidentally. Atiya Bibi (18) daughter of Mubarak Ali, died on the spot.

The Sammasatta police said they were investigating the matter.

Published in Dawn, September 16th, 2024