Woman dies after drinking water from poisoned well

Honnamma Mallappa Poojari, who died after drinking the water. dh photo

Honnamma Mallappa Poojari, who died after drinking the water. dh photo

A 75-year-old woman died after she drank water from a poisoned well at Teggalli in Hunasagi taluk of the district.

The woman, Honnamma Mallappa Poojari, vomited blood on Wednesday night after she drank the water mixed with pesticide. Water is supplied from the well at Mudanur in Hunasagi taluk of the district. Residents suspect that gamblers who play cards near the well had poisoned the well.

A few others who also drank the water have been admitted to hospital for treatment, district health officer Dr Habib Usman Patel told DH.

The well quenches the thirst of Shakhapura and Teggalli villages under Arakera (B) gram panchayat. The water body is at a distance of seven kilometre from Shakhapura. It is said that the gamblers were littering the place and the pump operator Mounesh had requested them not to throw garbage there. But Mounesh paid no heed to him.

He had warned them again not to play cards near the area. It is said the gamblers had seen Mounesh drinking water from the well and wanted to teach him a lesson by poisoning the water. Police, during inspection, found the burnt bottle of the agro phosphorus pesticide of the Navon brand of UPL company, used in paddy fields, near the water valve.