Eleven students were hospitalised after a poisoned water tank incident in a Karnataka school. A Sri Ram Sene leader and two others were arrested for allegedly targeting a Muslim headmaster to force his transfer. CM blames religious hatred.
Bengaluru: In a shocking incident, three men have been arrested for poisoning the water tank of a government Kannada primary school in Hulikatti village, Belagavi district, hospitalising 11 students. The prime accused, Sagar Patil, is the president of the Sri Ram Sene’s Savadatti taluk unit. The three arrested, Sagar Patil, Krishna Madar, and Magangouda Patil, conspired to contaminate the water with poison sourced from Munavalli village. It was allegedly mixed by a student related to one of the accused.
According to Belagavi SP Bhimashankar Guled, the motive was to target the school’s Muslim headmaster to force his transfer. The accused believed that poisoning the water supply would create grounds for his removal. All 11 affected students were treated and discharged from hospital.
CM Siddaramaiah Condemns ‘Religious Fundamentalism’
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah strongly condemned the act, calling it “a heinous crime driven by religious hatred”. He said the plot could have led to the massacre of innocent children and blamed the BJP for encouraging religious polarisation.
He called on BJP leaders Pramod Mutalik, BY Vijayendra, and R Ashok to take responsibility, saying leaders who support such elements must atone for their sins.
Child Rights Panel Acts on Separate Incident
In a separate case in Shivamogga, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has launched a suo motu probe into another suspected poisoning attempt involving pesticides at a school in Hoovinakone village.
Local police have recovered the pesticide bottle, and three investigation teams have been formed. A new water line has been installed, and the contaminated tank is being preserved as evidence.