Karnataka: 3 held for getting pesticides poured in school drinking water tank

Belagavi: Three persons who had allegedly got pesticides poured in drinking water tank of Government Primary School at Hulikatti village in Savadatti taluk on July 14, targeting lives of 41 students were arrested by police. Investigations have revealed that main accused, also associated with a right wing organisation wanted to get Muslim headmaster transferred by using the incident and had poisoned the water.

Superintendent of Police Dr Bheemashankar Guled informed reporters here on Saturday that about 11 students suffered poisoning as they consumed water after midday meals. As soon as they took the first sip, they smelled pesticides and did not consume it. They were admitted for treatment after which they have been recovered. Head Master Suleman Gorenayak filed complaint with the police.

School has student strength of 41 from first to fifth grade. Police teams investigating the case found a bottle of soft-drink near the tank and during verification remnant pesticides were found in it. Water samples and pesticide content in the bottle matched during tests at Forensic Science Laboratory, Guled said.

Investigating teams used scientific evidences to trace the case. While interacting with the students, it was found that those who had consumed water until 9:15 am did not have any problems. No outsider had come in the school premises. After the bottle was shown to the students, one of them came forward and confirmed that he had thrown its content in the water tank.

Dr Guled said, the student was taken into confidence by police and he revealed that Krishna Madar, a resident from the village had given him chocolates, condiments and Rs 500 to throw content from bottle in the tank and bring it back to him. Boy threw the content in the tank, but due to fear left the bottle at the site.

Madar during interrogation confirmed that conspiracy to pour pesticides in water tank was of main accused Sagar Patil who wanted to get headmaster transferred for him being Muslim. Madar along with another accused Nagangouda Patil had bought pesticides bottle from a shop at Munavalli on July 8. On July 14, Sagar brought a soft-drink bottle which already consisted pesticides and pesticide from bottle with him too were added. The student was lured and he did the work of pouring it in the water tank, he stated.

All three accused know each other. Sagar runs dhaba and also has agricultural lands. Madar worked with him as driver earlier. Nagangouda was Sagar’s relative. Sagar blackmailed Madar by threatening him to expose his affair with girl from another caste and got the pesticides poured in tank. They have been arrested and the student will be used as prosecution witness, he said.

Savadatti police are investigating the case.