Two more deaths reported on consumption of poisonous 'prasad' in Chamarajnagar

Police are probing suspected

foul play in the death of 11 people due to food poisoning

after consuming 'prasad' at a temple in Chamarajanagar

a 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 Dharmendra 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 a 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 Chamarajnagar 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.

The 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.