Poisoned tea claims lives of four children

A domestic dispute turned fatal in Chak 520 GB when a man poisoned the tea following an altercation with his wife and then fled the house.

Nadia, along with her husband’s daughter from a previous marriage, Iqra, 12, Saniha, 17, Madiha, 18 and Ali Hassan, 7 fell critically ill.

Nadia alerted Rescue 1122 and informed them about the altercation and poisoning. Rescue teams reached site of the incident and provided initial medical aid to all affected family members. They were then transferred to DHQ Hospital Toba Tek Singh for further treatment. However, Iqra, Saniha, Mediha, and Ali Hassan lost their lives, succumbing to the effects of the poison, while the condition of the remaining family members remains critical.

Due to the severity of their condition, Nadia and one of her daughters have been referred to Allied Hospital, Faisalabad.

Initial investigations suggest the consumption of a poisonous substance. Financial constraints and frequent disputes between the husband and wife are believed to have contributed to the tragic incident. The Toba Tek Singh Police have registered an FIR against the suspect Asghar and initiated an investigation.

Earlier in December last year, a financially distressed man took the lives of his wife and three daughters, employing a lethal combination of poisoning and fatal blows with a hammer before ending his own life by consuming poisonous pills in the Dijkot area.

The incident occurred in Chak 271, RB, within the jurisdiction of the Dijkot police station.

Mohammad Tahir, 55, succumbed to the burdens of poverty.

The man administered a drug-laced meal to his 45-year-old wife Naheed Akhtar and three daughters Zehra Fatima, 12, Hiba Tahir, 17 and Raisa Tahir, 19, rendering them unconscious.

Taking a hammer to their heads, Tahir brutally ended their lives. In a final act of despair, he ingested pills hidden within a batch of wheat. The tragedy unfolded in darkness and by dawn, Tahir changed into fresh clothes and sought solace in the company of worshipers at the local mosque.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2024.