Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 25 March, social media was flooded with claims that unidentified individuals were allegedly handing out suspicious candy to children at a school in the Andijan region. The Children’s Ombudsman has commented on the matter, dismissing these rumors.

The incident took place at a school in the Altinkul district. A third-grade student purchased three Strawberry candies at school for 1,000 soums. When his classmate asked where to buy the same sweets, the boy responded that he had received them from a stranger.

The school nurse, believing his words, spread information on social media that an outsider was distributing unknown sweets to children. Unverified reports also surfaced, falsely claiming that a child had allegedly died after consuming the candy. However, these rumors were completely unfounded.

An investigation is currently underway, and a forensic chemical examination has been ordered to determine whether the candy contains any harmful substances.

The Andijan regional sanitary-epidemiological department also addressed the situation, stating that such candy is not sold near schools and that no prior complaints had been reported. Officials urged parents to be cautious when selecting sweets for their children and to teach them to check product quality before purchasing.

The Children’s Ombudsman continues to monitor the situation and has promised to provide further updates as new information becomes available.