Temple food poisoning: Seer held on murder charges: Police
December 19, 2018 21:44
Days after 15 people died of poisoning after eating prasad at a temple, a local seer and three others were arrested Wednesday on charges of hatching a conspiracy to kill devotees in a bid to defame the management
and take control of the shrine in this district in Karnataka.
The 52-year old seer and his three accomplices -- a woman, her husband and his friend -- have been arrested under IPC sections including those pertaining to murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy, South Zone IGP K V Sharath Chandra said.
"Mahadeshwara Hill Saluru Math seer Pattada Immadi Mahadeshwara Swamy alias Devanna Buddhi connived not only to take over the temple trust but also to defame the existing trust members," he told reporters.
The seer was earlier in control of the temple trust till 2017, but was sidelined later, which inufuriated him, the IG said.
At the behest of the seer, the 35-year old woman of Marathahalli near Sulavadi allegedly arranged for a pesticide and her husband and his friend mixed it in the prasad while it was being prepared, he said.
Fifteen people died and more than 100 people are still in hospitals after ingesting the poisonous prasad on December 14 at Sulvadi at an event to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the tower of the Kichchugutti Maramma Devi temple.
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