Hanur: Death toll in temple food tragedy rises to ten
Hanur, Dec 14: With five more deaths, the death toll in the Sulvadi Maramma temple tragedy has gone up to 10 and more than 80 persons who fell sick after consuming the Prasad, were admitted to a hospital.
The condition of 12 people was critical and they have been taken to Mysuru for treatment, they said.
The deceased have been identified as Gopiyamma (55), Pappanna (50), Shantha (20), Anitha 14 and Anil (12).
District Health Officer Prasad said it was suspected that poison might have got mixed with the 'prasad', resulting in the tragic incident.
"We have collected the samples and sent it to a laboratory for investigation," he told reporters.
According to police, the foundation laying ceremony of Maramma temple was organised Thursday morning and prasad was distributed after the function.
Most of those who attended the event followed the 'Om Shakti' tradition.
After consuming the prasad, people started vomiting and began writhing with stomach pain, police said.
Commotion prevailed as people hurried to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Police rushed to the spot, as also district authorities, to provide medical aid.
During treatment, five people breathed their last - two ata hospital at Kamagere, two others at a hospital at Kollegala and one at hospital in Ramapura, police said.
Expressing shock over the incident, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy said he has directed the authorities to make all arrangements for the treatment of the affected people.
The affected people said they got the smell of kerosene oil in the prasad, but ignored it.
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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".
