Seven schoolgirls were seriously injured after a gang of Holi celebrating men threw chemical-laced colours on them while they were waiting for their school bus in Lakshmeshwar town of Gadag district in Karnataka on Friday, March 15.
The schoolgirls suffered suffocation and chest pain after they unknowingly inhaled and ingested traces of the colour mixture while trying to escape the men.
They are currently being treated at the Gadag Institute of Medical Sciences.
According to local reports, the schoolgirls were waiting at the Suvarnagiri Tanda bus stand to appear for their exams when the motorcycle-borne group approached them and started throwing Holi colours at them.
The schoolgirls, however, managed to escape the first attempt and boarded the bus. However, the gang chased the bus, climbed the board and threw colours on them which allegedly contained a mixture of cow dung, eggs, phenol, and other harmful chemicals.
The accused fled the scene on motorcycles, prompting a police manhunt. Authorities are collecting witness statements from locals and bus passengers as the investigation continues.
Upon hearing the news, the parents of the schoolgirls rushed to the hospital. Senior police officials assured the families that strict action would be taken against those responsible. Further details are expected to emerge soon.
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