Food poisoning in Karnataka temple: Woman poisoned prasad to kill lover’s wife, say police

The assistants, police said, handed over the poisoned food to Sri Gowri, but she did not eat it and instead gave it to her mother Saraswathamma, 56, who died in hospital on Saturday. The assistants left behind some servings of the poisoned food on the temple premises after giving the prasad to Sri Gowri, said police officers. This resulted in other devotees consuming them, said police officers. One of the devotees, Kavitha (28), was the second victim of the poisoning, they said.

The police have arrested Lakshmi (46) and her assistants Amaravathi and Parvathamma.

Sri Gowri has told the police that on an earlier occasion, she fell ill after eating prasad given to her by Lakshmi and was hospitalised for 15 days. It is alleged that after the first attempt failed, Lakshmi procured a more potent poison to target Sri Gowri. Police have detained Lokesh and are verifying his role in the murder plot.