Amaravati: At least 20 workers, majority of them women, fell sick after a leak of ammonium gas late on Thursday night in a dairy belonging to a private agro products firm in Putalapattu constituency in Andhra Pradesh.

While three of the victims were shifted to Ruia Hospital in temple town of Tirupati, five were admitted to the CMC hospital in Vellore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

The others were undergoing treatment in the government hospital in Chittoor, police said.

Chittoor district Collector Narayana Bharat Gupta and Superintendent of Police Senthil Kumar visited the dairy unit and supervised the rescue operation.

According to the Collector, the gas leak occurred while some welding work was being carried out in the unit.

"We have ordered an inquiry and the exact cause of the mishap will be revealed only later. The possible human negligence angle will also be probed," Gupta said.

He said the condition of the workers undergoing treatment was stable.

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Bengaluru: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking and illegal narcotics trade, Bengaluru City Police have arrested 16 accused persons and seized narcotic substances worth Rs 36.67 crore.

According to Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, those arrested include four foreign nationals, eight persons from other states and four locals. Police said the network had interstate as well as international links.

Police recovered 9 kg 64 grams of MDMA, 5 kg 195 grams of hydro ganja, 19,755 LSD strips, 156 grams of heroin, 618 grams of charas, 332 grams of cocaine, 315 grams of drug-mixed gummies and 11 kg 470 grams of ganja from the accused.

The Commissioner said the action was carried out as part of a major anti-drug operation in the city. The network was busted with the support of the CCB Narcotics Control Squad and police stations of Bagaluru, Adugodi, Chikkajala, HSR Layout, Yeshwanthpur, Jalahalli and Jnanabharathi.

Cases were registered in CCB, East Division and West Division police stations based on specific intelligence received on different dates, following which raids were conducted.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were procuring drugs at lower prices from foreign, interstate and local sources and selling them in Bengaluru at higher rates.

Police said college students and working professionals were among the main targets of the accused.