Dhubri, Oct. 15: Three persons, including two children, died of suspected food poisoning at Fakirganj in Dhubri district today.

A source in Fakirganj said the deaths occurred at the residence of one Arfan Ali, who had visitors. The guests had brought a dish prepared with fish. After their departure last night, 15 persons of the family fell ill, possibly after eating the dish. Three of them died at Fakirganj public health centre last night itself.

Seven persons were shifted to Goalpara Civil Hospital wh-ile one was taken to Guwahati in a critical condition. The dead were identified as Kulsuma Khatoon, Maria Sultana Begum and Tofizur Rahman.

An angry mob set eight motorcycles and a generator on fire and damaged wireless equipment and ransacked the police station, aggrieved at the delay in arresting the culprits.

The fire also gutted houses next to the police station.

The residents alleged that despite repeated pleas to take food samples and to arrange for a test, the police did not heed their request.

A magisterial team, accompanied by South Salmara-Mancachar sub-divisional police officer, D. Hazarika, rus-hed to Fakirganj with additi-onal forces and brought the situation under control.

The police arrested two persons, Abdul Sheikh and Zakir Hussain of Airkata village, some 30km from Fakirganj, on the basis of complaints lodged by Arfan Ali.

Safiqul Islam of Mancachar, who was in Fakirganj today, said according to the residents, Zakir Hussain wanted to marry one of Arfan Ali’s daughters but Ali refused the proposal a few months ago.

“Last evening, Zakir and Abdul Sheikh went to Arfan’s residence with a dish of fish. However, after their departure around 9pm, the family members fell ill,” Islam added.