Death toll in food poisoning incident at temple rises to 13
Bengaluru, Dec 16: The death toll in the food poisoning incident at a temple in Chamarajanagar district rose to 13 with two more deaths Sunday, Health Department officials said.
Joint Director Health Department Suresh Shastry said two deaths were reported at Apollo Hospital Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Maheshwari, 36, and Salamma, 35, he said, adding with the two deaths, the toll rose to 13.
One Sharat was critical, he said.
The official said four patients were on ventilator at Suyog hospital and two of them were critical. He said one more person might need the assisted ventilation.
The tragedy occurred on Friday morning at Sulavadi village where special pooja was conducted at the Maramma Devi temple for groundbreaking ceremony.
Later, prasad was distributed and those who consumed it started complaining of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhoea-like symptoms. They were rushed to hospitals in Bengaluru, Mysuru as well as neighbouring towns.
At least 100 people are still hospitalised, sources in the Health Department said.
A sample of prasad was sent for lab test the same day.
Police are probing suspected foul play in the incident and the villagers have urged the government to take over the temple management as stories are doing rounds that factional feud within the temple management led to the prasad's poisoning.
It has also emerged that the CCTV cameras installed in the temple were defunct. Two people have been detained.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
