All 5 CCTV cameras on temple premises are defunct

CHAMARAJANAGAR: Kollegal police, probing the Sulwadi temple poisoning case, are groping in the dark owing to lack of technical evidence.

Added to the delay in the submission of a report by the forensic laboratory, cops’ efforts have been thwarted further owing to five closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in and around the temple going defunct. A camera focusing on the kitchen, where the tomato bath that was served as prasadam to the devotees was prepared, is also dysfunctional, much to the cops’ chagrin.

Police pointed out that the temple premises are mostly uninhabited in the evening, and as evidence of the tragedy having been an act of sabotage mounts, cops said that miscreants may have been up to some mischief at that time. “Had this been a case of just food poisoning, we would not have seen the effects as immediately, nor would they have been so severe. In this case, reaction to the prasadam was immediate. All those who had the tomato bath were seen writhing in pain near the kitchen,” a police official said.

Shankar, one of the priests at the temple, said that nearly 15kg of rice was used to prepare the tomato bath, which was to be distributed among them and the devotees. “It was for a special occasion since the foundation stone was laid to build the temple’s gopuram. But, some devotees arrived early, and we served them food, deciding to eat the same at a later time. But fate had something else planned,” said Shankar.

Chamarajanagar superintendent of police Dharmendra Kumar Meena told STOI that a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder had been registered against thus far unknown miscreants. “We have launched a probe,” Meena said.

Kollegal deputy superintendent of police Puttamadaiah, who is heading three investigation teams constituted to probe the incident, said that they were quizzing many people, and that it was too early to state anything conclusively since cops were awaiting reports.