At least 30 students were admitted in hospital in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, after complaining of suffocation. (Source: ANI) At least 30 students were admitted in hospital in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, after complaining of suffocation. (Source: ANI)

At least 30-35 students from a school in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, were admitted to hospital on Tuesday after reportedly suffocating due to harmful chemicals from a nearby sugar factory. Indra Vikram Singh, District Magistrate Shamli, confirmed that the students of Saraswati Shishu Mandir (Sadar area) were taken to hospital after complaining of suffocation this morning. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an enquiry into the incident by the Commissioner of Saharanpur and directed the DM and all local officers to provide all possible help to the affected children.

“Later the students were taken to different hospitals where most of them have been discharged and 4-5 students are on drip and will be discharged soon. The doctors have said that nothing is serious and nothing is there to panic about,” Singh said.

On the cause of the incident, Singh said the reason is unknown and investigations are underway. However, he did not deny the possibility that there might be an accidental gas leak from a sugar factory, situated in the center of the city. “The factory is close to the school and was installed in 1933. The factory was closed from a long time and was in the process of reopening. Something might have happened during the cleaning process,” The DM said.

Additional SP Shamli said the students of the school were gathering for assembly when the incident took place at around 9 am, adding that authorities are checking nearby hospitals and areas to see exactly how many people have been affected.

However, he also said that there is another school in the area and nothing has happened to the students and teachers there.

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