LAHORE - The death toll from drinking toxic cough syrup climbs to 18 on Tuesday as another victim expired at a local hospital, officials said.
Resident of Lajpat Road, Shadara, Azam, 28, was admitted to the hospital when his condition got deteriorated after drinking toxic syrup.
The man, also said to be a drug addict, died at the hospital on Tuesday morning. The police have removed the dead body to the morgue for an autopsy and are investigating.
Health officials said that another victim, identified as Ilyas, 34, has also been admitted in the intensive care unit. The resident of Yakki Gate, Ilyas, fell unconscious after drinking toxic syrup and was rushed to the hospital in serious condition.
A day earlier, Rizwan, 18 and Chand, 25, breathed their last at Mayo Hospital.
Official sources said that a drugs factory has been sealed while sample were sent to a laboratory for detailed analysis.
Many of victims were found dead in a graveyard where addicts used to take different kinds of drugs.
The death occurred in the low-income Shahdara Town during the last couple of days with the victims, mostly drug addicts who took the syrup, namely Tyno.
Separately, a judicial magistrate Tuesday sent on a 4-day physical remand three accused in the cough syrup case.
Transferred: Punjab Police Inspector General Habibur Rehman on Tuesday transferred two police officers including District Police Officer (DPO) Okara, Usman Akram Gondal.
According to a police spokesperson, DPO Okara Usman Akram Gondal and SP (Investigations) Okara Akhtar Ali Khan have been transferred and directed to report to the Central Police Office (CPO) Lahore.