12 Dead, over 90 hospitalised after consuming poisonous ‘Prasad’ at Chamarajanagar Temple

Chamarajnagar: After consuming prasad at a temple in Sulivadi village in Karnataka’s Chamarajnagar district on Friday, December 14, at least 12 people were killed and over 80 others are ill.

The deceased include girls and a woman. Some of those undergoing treatment are critical and they have been taken to Mysuru for treatment, police said.

“Six people died, including a girl, a woman and four men. Seventy-five persons admitted in different hospitals,” Superintendent of Police of Chamarajnagar district Dharmender Kumar Meena told PTI earlier in the evening.

However, according to ANI, the toll has now gone up to 12.

The Karnataka government has announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased. The government has assured of taking care of the other medical needs of those undergoing treatment. Two people from the temple management have been detained for questioning, said police sources.

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 Friday morning and Prasad was distributed after the function, reported PTI.

Most of those who attended the event followed the ‘Om Shakti’ tradition. After consuming the prasad, people started vomiting and began writing 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.

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.