Hanur: At least 5 die, 80 others ill after consuming 'prasad'
Hanur, Dec 14: At least five people, including two children, died and about 80 others took ill Friday after consuming 'prasad' at a temple at Sulivadi village in Chamarajanagar district, police said.
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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Man held for cheating IT official by posing as 'parrot astrologer'
Bengaluru (PTI): A 59-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax department official by posing as a "parrot astrologer" and promising career growth and better life through rituals, police said on Wednesday.
With the arrest of the accused astrologer Shekar, police claimed to have recovered gold ornaments weighing 124 grams and silver articles weighing 796 grams, with a total value of Rs 20.60 lakh.
The matter came to light after the victim, who is a senior administrative officer in the Income Tax department, lodged a complaint at Bharatinagar police station here on March 5, police said.
According to police, in the complaint, the victim stated that while passing near Sri Circle, he was approached by a person claiming to practise parrot astrology. The accused called him over, claimed he could predict the future by looking at his face, and convinced him to perform a ritual.
Initially, the accused collected Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Later, he allegedly told the victim that an elaborate ritual was necessary for career promotion, transfer, and overall improvement in life, and threatened that failure to do so would bring misfortune, he alleged.
"Under this pretext, the accused took 194 grams of gold ornaments and 1.3 kg of silver articles from the complainant, assuring they would be returned after the ritual," police said.
When the complainant later demanded the return of the valuables, the accused allegedly threatened him, they said.
During the investigation, police gathered credible information and apprehended the accused near Cantonment Railway Station on March 12 and upon interrogation, he confessed to committing the offence with the intention of making quick money, a senior police officer said.
He was produced before a court on March 13 and taken into police custody for five days.
During sustained questioning, the accused revealed that he had sold the stolen gold and silver items at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Based on his information, police recovered 124 grams of gold ornaments and 796 grams of silver articles from the shop on March 15, valued at Rs 20.60 lakh, the officer said.
The accused was again produced before the court on March 17 and was remanded to judicial custody, he added.
