At least eleven people, including a girl and a woman, died while 75 others took ill on Friday after consuming ‘prasad’ at a temple at Sulavadi village in Chamarajnagar district, health department officials said. The condition of eight people being treated at a hospital in Mysuru was critical, they said. Two people from the temple management have been detained for questioning, said police sources.
It was suspected that poison might have got mixed with the ‘prasad’, resulting in the tragic incident. According to police, the foundation laying ceremony of Maramma temple was organised Friday morning and ‘prasad’ was distributed after the function. 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, as also district authorities, rushed to the spot to provide medical aid. Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy announced a relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next to the kin of the deceased. Kumaraswamy flew to Chamarajnagar by a special plane from Belagavi.