Nine people have been arrested in connection with food poisoning which affected 154 children and 20 adults after they ate sweets distributed at functions to mark the occasion of Independence Day.

Out of a total 174 admitted to a hospital here, 136 children and 20 adults were discharged today while 18 students continue to remain hospitalised, according to the Kanpur's Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Avinash Singh.

Three students, who are serious, have been kept in ICU for observation, while the remaining 15 kids are undergoing treatment at the hospital's paediatric ward, he said, adding that a team of officials of the health department are at the hospital and closely following the case.

The owner of a local sweetmeat shop which provided the contaminated 'ladoos' was among the nine arrested while the village head, who placed the order for 40 boxes of the sweets, is absconding, the ADM said.

The students, most aged less than 12 years, of four primary schools of Chaubepur village fell sick after eating sweets distributed to them at separate Independence Day functions yesterday.

They complained of vomiting and diarrhoea. Some students had taken the sweets to their homes and given it to their family members, who too had to be admitted to the hospital last evening.

"All those affected had been given free treatment. Most had been first taken to the primary health centre and local hospital in Chaubepur village but later all of them were shifted to Rama hospital in Kalyanpur," Singh said.

SP Anil Mishra said the sweetmeat shop owner, Ratan Kumar, was arrested last evening, following which two salesmen and 6 workers at the shop were nabbed later in the night."The shop has been sealed and the arrested are being interrogated," he said.

District Magistrate Roshan Jacob and his team of health officials had rushed to spot last evening. A probe into the incident has been initiated, the ADM said.