At least 23 dead in Pakistan after eating poisoned sweets

LAHORE // At least 23 people have died and dozens of others fell ill in central Pakistan after eating sweets which police suspect were tainted with pesticides.

Umar Hayat, a resident of the Karor Lal Esan area in Punjab province, bought the confectionery from a bakery on April 17 to give to friends and family to celebrate the birth of his grandson. Ten people died on the same day.

“The death toll from consumption of the sweets has now risen to 23, and 52 people are still being treated at various hospitals,” police official Munir Ahmed said on Monday.

He said the dead included the baby’s father and seven of his uncles.

Rameez Bukhari, a senior police officer from the district, said three people — two brothers who run the bakery and a worker — had been arrested.

The worker may have inadvertently added pesticide to the sweet mix.

“There was a pesticide shop close by which was being renovated, and the owner had left his pesticides at the bakery for safe keeping,” said Mr Bukhari.

“A baker may have used a small packet in the sweet mixture,” he said, but added that police were awaiting for the results of laboratory testing.

* Agence France-Presse