Karnataka government to bear medical expenses of food poisoning victims

KOLAR/CHIKKABALLAPUR: Chaos prevailed at RL Jalappa Hospital in Kolar after some people are said to have claimed that the body of Saraswathamma, who passed away on Saturday night, was not being handed over to the family due to uncleared bills.

Saraswathamma was among the two persons who died due to suspected food poisoning after consuming prasadam at Gangamma Temple in Chinthamani of Chikkaballapur district on Friday.

However, Kolar Deputy Commissioner J Manjunath denied the allegations that the hospital demanded payment of the bills to hand over the body.

He said doctors followed the health department’s instructions to conduct a postmortem and were waiting for a mortuary van to shift the body, but some persons assumed that the delay was caused by pending dues.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister G T Deve Gowda on Sunday visited the house of Kavitha, who was the first person to die after consuming the prasadam. He said the Chief Minister has announced that the government will meet the medical expenses of the deceased and the hospitalised.

Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Lakshmaiah said a team of doctors is treating those taken ill.

The police have questioned two women, and are waiting for the forensic and postmortem reports, Chikkaballapur SP Karthick Reddy said.

Kolar Deputy Commissioner J Manjunath visited the hospital along with his wife Dr Suma, who is also the Chief Medical Officer, ESI, Bengaluru. He instructed the revenue officials to help shift Saraswathamma’s body to Chintamani.