Kolhapur (PTI): A man allegedly gate-crashed his niece's wedding reception in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district and mixed poison in the food prepared for guests as he was against her marriage, police said on Wednesday.

No person, however, consumed that food and its samples have been sent for testing, they said, adding that the accused was absconding.

The incident took place in Utre village under Panhala tehsil on Tuesday afternoon following which some people caught hold of the accused, but he managed to run away, they said.

The Panhala police have registered a case against the man, identified as Mahesh Patil, resident of Utre village and maternal uncle of the woman, on charges of endangering the lives of people, Panhala police station's sub-inspector Mahesh Kondubhairi said.

The woman had been brought up at the accused's house, according to police.

"She recently eloped with a man in the village and got married to him. Since, it was not acceptable to Patil, he gate-crashed the wedding reception ceremony at a marriage hall on Tuesday and mixed a poisonous substance in the food items which were being prepared for the guests," Kondubhairi said.

While the man was mixing the poisonous substance in the food, people around him tried to stop him and overpowered him, the official said.

"He then fled from the spot. We have registered an offence against him under sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)," the official said.

"Efforts are on to nab him," he said.

No one consumed the food in which the poisonous substance was mixed and its samples have been sent to a forensic lab, the police added.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.

The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.

The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.

“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.

“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.

Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.

Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.

“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.