Hosanagar: A suspected food poisoning case has claimed the life of a three-year old boy and five others, including a pregnant lady, have taken ill after they consumed food containing tranquilliser tablets at Sadananda Shiva Yogashrama at Moolegadde in the taluk on Tuesday.
The deceased boy is identified as Sujay. The others who took ill after consuming the food are Chaitra, who is pregnant and mother of Sujay, Gowramma (82), Mahadevi, a native of Athani in Belagavi district and Mudhol, a native of Bagalkot district and Shankaraiah Shastry of Sadashiva Shiva Yogashrama. They are undergoing treatment in the taluk general hospital.
The police have arrested three persons – Rudresh, Rajshekhar and Kumar, residents of the village, in connection with the incident.
As per reports the trio in an attempt to disrupt the coronation ceremony of the new seer of the ashram scheduled to be held from April 28 to 30 had added tranquilliser tablets to sambar on Monday night. All the six, including the boy, Sujay, consumed food. He fell sick within a few hours.
Noticing this, the suspects took the boy and threw him into a tank. The body was found the next day morning.
Additional Superintendent of Police Muthuraj, tahasildar Chandrashekhar Naik and others visited the spot.
