Attempt to poison Aligarh madarsa students fails
An attempt was allegedly made to poison students of a madarsa here when two miscreants mixed a poisonous substance in the water cooler of the institution and escaped.
However, the criminal act was spotted by a student named Afzal and so a possible tragedy was averted at Madarsa Chacha Nehru, run by Salma Ansari, wife of former Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Even as the incident created a sensation in the Civil Lines area, security around the madarsa has been increased and no unidentified person is being allowed inside. The madarsa has nearly 3,600 students who study in two shifts. Among them 11 children of other districts live in madarsa hostel.The incident took place on Saturday evening when the unidentified miscreants entered the institution secretly and mixed rat poison in the water cooler kept near the gate.
However, while they were mixing the poison in the water, Afzal came there to drink water and spotted them in the act.
As Afzal attempted to raise an alarm, the miscreants threatened him with a pistol and then scaled the wall of the madarsa boundary and escaped.
Javed Khan, inspector of Civil Lines police station, told HT that traces of Mortein rat killer were found in the water tank of the madarsa and its wrapper was also found near it. “As it was clear from the pieces of the rat killer in the water that it was poisonous, there was no need to send the water for forensic tests,” he said
Investigation is being done on the basis of FIR lodged on the complaint of the madarsa PRO, he said and added that the water cooler was immediately emptied. As of now, police is keeping Afzal under the scanner.
Madarsa’s warden Junaid Siddiqui told HT that “at 10 pm I was coaching some boarders on the upper floor of the madarsa when a student of class 7, Afzal, went to the ground floor to drink water where he saw the miscreants in the act.”
Had the accused succeeded in their attempt, many madarsa students could have died AQIL-UR-RAHMAN, principal
“One of them was mixing some powder in the cooler. As soon as they saw Afzal, one of them threatened him with his pistol. They then jumped over the madarsa wall and escaped,” he added.
Siddiqui added: “Afzal found a wrapper lying on ground there and gave it to me. It was of Mortein rat poison. Its contents were found in the cooler water.”
Madarsa Principal Aqil-urRahman said: “Had the accused succeeded in their attempt, many madarsa students could have died. A thorough investigation is needed.”
Salma Ansari, chairperson of Al Noor Charitable Society, which runs the madarsa, said, “Who can have enmity with children? I am unable to understand. Investigation is a must to expose the conspiracy behind the incident.”