The district administration will organise awareness programmes among children regarding Arunachal Pradesh’s poisonous plants after two students in Anjaw district in eastern part of the state died on Friday after consuming wild fruits.

Sources said 25 students, all suspected to be suffering from food poisoning, are in Tezu hospital and stable. All are aged between seven and 13 years.

“The district administration, along with forest officials, police, village heads, welfare officers and non-government organisations, will organise awareness programmes in the schools and villages regarding the harmful effects of poisonous plants if consumed,” district medical officer Sanjinglu Chai Pul said.

“An investigation is under way,” he said.

The sources said the children ate the wild fruits growing near the residential school.

They said senior medical officer, Tezu general zonal hospital, S. Towong, said on Monday evening, “The recent food poisoning of students of Saiti in Anjaw was due to ingestion of seeds of a commonly found tree called golden chain tree (laburnum). All parts of laburnum trees are poisonous. Symptoms of laburnum poisoning may include drowsiness, nausea, convulsions and the patient can even slip into coma.”

The district has dense forest, including Kamlang wildlife sanctuary, containing several poisonous plants.