Islamabad: A man held 23 of his relatives hostage in Pakistan's Rawalpindi city after they refused to lend him money following losses he suffered in gambling.

The 30-year-old man, who had been running a business in the construction sector, lost all his fortune in gambling and asked his family to give him money to establish the business again, Geo News reported.

The report said that he held them hostage at gunpoint after the family refused to pay him, and he shot and injured his father-in-law.

The family's neighbours informed police about the incident after which a child was rescued. The man was said to be suffering from some mental illness and was also under the influence of drugs.

A city police officer later said the police have arrested the accused.

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Motihari (PTI): The toll in the hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district rose to nine on Sunday after three more people who had consumed spurious liquor died, officials said.

The first death was reported on Thursday, they said.

A total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the deaths in the Turkauliya and Raghunathpur areas of Motihari, District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said.

A case of murder has already been registered on the basis of complaints filed by the family members of the deceased, police said.

Jorwal said one person is still in the hospital and his condition is reported to be critical.

"Seven persons have already been discharged after treatment," he told PTI.

"The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination. The exact cause of the deaths can only be known after the reports arrive," he said.

The SHO of Turkauliya police station has already been suspended on charge of dereliction of duty, and a special investigation team has been constituted to probe the incident, officials said.

The deaths have led to a political slugfest in the state, where the sale and consumption of alcohol has been banned since 2016.