Death toll in K'taka temple poisoning case rises to 17

The toll in the temple 'Prasad' poisoning incident in Chamarajnagar district has gone up to 17 with the death of a 45-year-old man undergoing treatment in hospital, health department sources said Saturday.

Rangan, a resident of Hanur, died at a hospital at 3.15 pm, healthdepartment joint director Suresh Shastry said in a release. On December 14, 15 people had died and more than 100 others were hospitalised after consuming 'prasad' distributed at Maramma temple in Sulavadi village.

According to the release, 18 people are on ventilator and four in the ICU of various hospitals. Police have arrested four people, including Salur Math seer Pattada Immadi Mahadeva Swami and his three accomplices, including a woman, on charges of murder, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy.

Police claimed the 52-year-old seer and his accomplices had allegedly conspired and mixed a deadly pesticide in the 'prasad'.