'Prasad' poisoning: Toll rises to 11, police probe suspected foul play
Bengaluru, Dec 15: Police are probing suspected foul play in the death of 11 people due to food poisoning after consuming 'prasad' at a temple in Chamarajanagar district, a senior official said Saturday.
Two more people died Saturday, pushing up the toll to 11, while 93 others were hospitalised, Chamarajanagar district Superintendent of Police Dharmender Singh Meena told PTI.
Three cooks, who are undergoing treatment in a hospital, are stated to be in a critical condition, he said.
The police are investigating suspected foul play, Meena said, amid reports that a running feud between two factions in Kicchgutti Maramma temple over some issue might have led to the tragedy after the victims consumed the 'prasad' allegedly blended with poisonous substance.
As many as five people have been detained and police are interrogating them to get some leads into the incident, Meena said.
Food samples collected from the temple have been sent to a forensic lab in Mysuru.
"We have not yet received the FSL report. We are expecting it by tomorrow noon. Nevertheless, we have been investigating the tragic incident from all angles," the officer said.
"The substance in the food can only be told after receiving FSL reports," he said.
However, District Health Officer Prasad had suspected that the prasad was poisoned.
On Friday, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had announced assistance of Rs five lakh to the next to the kin of the deceased.
Kumaraswamy flew to Chamarajanagar by special plane from Belagavi, where he is attending the winter session of the state legislature.
He had directed local authorities to make all arrangements for those who took ill and said the government would bear the medical expenses.
The foundation laying ceremony of Maramma temple was organised Friday morning at the village situated along the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
'Om Shakti' devotees from adjoining villages in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had gathered for the event, where rice "baath" was served as 'prasad' after the rituals.
After consuming the offering, people started to vomit and complained of stomach pain.
Commotion had prevailed as people hurried to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The affected people said there was a smell of kerosene oil in the prasad, but they 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".
