New Delhi: Doctors in Northern Afghanistan are investigating whether or not dozens of girls were left poisoned at a high school in the region.
Sixty-one girls went to the hospital on Monday complaining of sudden illness. Several girls also passed out. One of the girls said she smelt something in the classroom.
The girl was quoted by news agency Associated Press as saying, "I think there will be a decrease in the number of girl students. That is what I heard from poisoned girls' mothers here at the hospital. They were saying to their daughters; 'We do not want to lose you. It is better for you to leave the school'. Because of this poisoning we are facing lots of problems."
Another student, Wasima said, "I was inside the class when I smelt a smell. They did not allow us to go out at the beginning. When I came out I felt a headache coming on. I went home, then I felt the headache again and then my family brought me to the hospital."
Officials sent blood samples to Kabul to test whether some form of poison was to blame. The authorities suspect the work of the Taliban as they and other conservative extremist groups in Afghanistan oppose education for girls.
There have even been acid attacks on women who disobeyed the extremists' call for no education.
Parwan province Police Chief, General Khalil Ziaye was quoted by news agency Associated Press as saying, "The investigation is on going. At the beginning we transported the poisoned girls to the hospital for first aid. The school is under observation. We are trying to find out the cause of the poisoning with the help of health organisations."
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