PAN, May 15, 2012

600 students poisoned in Khost

By Hidayatullah Khosti

600 school students were poisoned in Khost of Afghanistan. (Photo: PAN)

The incident took place in the Urzi area, where all the 600 students of a middle school were poisoned, education department spokesman Syed Musa Majrooh told Pajhwok Afghan News.

With the exact reason yet to be known, the official believed the students might have used toxic substances. “All students can't be poisoned at a time by drinking food or water. I believe that some poisonous stuff may have been sprayed in the school."

Public Health Director Dr. Amir Badshah Mangal confirmed hundreds of poisoned students had been brought to the Khost Civil Hospital. A joint team of public health and education departments has been sent to the area to investigate the incident.

Mangal said the health condition of the students was stable and most of them would be discharged soon.

One of the students, Wali Noor, said he felt giddy and fell to the ground after coming out of his class during the break. Neither he drank water nor ate any food, added the student, who did know what caused the condition.

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