25 students hospitalized following suspected gas leakage in India's Punjab

NEW DELHI, May 11 (Xinhua) -- At least 25 students of a local school were hospitalized Thursday after suspected gas leakage from a nearby factory in the northern Indian state of Punjab, officials said.

The incident took place in Nangal town of Rupnagar district.

"Today 30 students and a teacher from Saint Soldier Divine Public School were brought to hospital after they complained of breathlessness," an official said. "Five children were discharged and 25 others were admitted and are under observation."

The school was immediately closed.

This incident comes days after 11 people, including two children, were killed in a gas leak incident in Giaspura area of the state's Ludhiana district.

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains took to social media over the gas leak and said there was no need to panic. He rushed to the spot and enquired about the health of the students and school staff.

Local government officials have ordered a probe into the incident. The investigating team comprises the Punjab Pollution Control Board officials and district officials.

"The preliminary investigations point out that ammonia gas was leaked from National Fertilizer Limited (NFL) plant at Nangal. Our teams visited the spot and initiated the probe in the matter," said Adarsh Pal Vij, a senior official of Punjab Pollution Control Board, as quoted by local media.