Assembly mourns victims of temple, blast tragedies

The Legislative Assembly on Monday condoled the death of 14 people in the temple prasada tragedy at Sulavadi in Chamarajanagar district, and four persons who died in a blast at a sugar factory in Mudhol, Bagalkot district.

As many as 14 people died and 108 have been hospitalised after consuming prasada laced with pesticide at Kichugatti Maramma Temple at Sulawadi village in Chamarajanagar on Friday.

Four persons were killed in the explosion inside a methane production unit at Nirani sugar factory, owned by former minister Murugesh Nirani, at Kuloli village of Mudhol taluk of Bagalkot on Sunday.

Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said it has now been confirmed that the prasada in the Chamarajanagar temple was poisoned with monophosphate pesticide. The police have already nabbed seven suspects and are in the search of a few more, who are absconding.

Hanur MLA R Narendra, in whose constituency the tragedy happened, said of the 108 hospitalised, 13 were children.

Parameshwara announced that the government will provide a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed in the explosion.