Two people have died and as many as 11 have been hospitalised after consuming prasad in a temple in Chikkaballapura, Karnataka, on 25th January night. A woman who works as a cook in a hotel has been taken into custody and case has been registered.
According to reports, people started complaining of uneasiness and vomiting after consuming the prasad, following which they were shifted to a hospital. 28-year-old Kavitha and 59-year-old Saraswathamma succumbed to the illness. The women had reportedly gone to Gangamma temple and distributed kesari baath (prasad) to the devotees who had gathered in large number on Friday.
This incident comes close on heels of another incident where as many as 15 people were killed allegedly by the seer of a temple and his accomplices in Chamarajanagar in December. 120 people were also hospitalised and the seer was arrested on charges of conspiracy to kill devotees to defame the management and take control of the shrine. 15 bottles of pesticides were reportedly added to the prasad while it was being prepared.