Miscreants Throw Chemical-Laced Colours On Schoolgirls During Holi, Seven Hospitalised News24 –

A group of miscreants applied chemical-laced colour onto at least seven schoolgirls in the Karnataka town of Lakshmeshwar, in the Gadag district on Friday.

Reports claim that after initial treatment, the girls were taken to the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) for better treatment, while the others are receiving treatment at Lakshmeshwar government hospital.

The incident triggered public anger and parents of the victims rushed to the hospital. Police have launched a man-hunt for the group of criminals. According to police, the schoolgirls had been at a bus stop in Lakshmeshwar town.

A group of thugs rode in quite close to the bus stop and started pelting them with colours. Because the school bus came on time, the girls managed to get into it. But the gang chased their school bus on motorcycles, rode along with it, and specifically targeted the seven schoolgirls by hurling chemical-laden paint on them, it is reported.

According to preliminary reports, the liquid contained cow dung, eggs, phenol, and colours. After being showered with the stuff, the girls had some of it in their mouths, which led to symptoms of breathlessness. As soon as the children fell sick, they were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. At the hospital, the girls were gasping for air and experiencing severe pain in their chests.

Attending the hospital to talk to parents were senior police officials who reassured them the culprits would be punished severely. The police are requesting information from residents and other school bus passengers in order to catch the accused who fled on bikes.