Karnataka court remands 3 accused of poisoning school water to judicial custody

A trial court in Karnataka has remanded three men arrested for allegedly poisoning a water tank at a school in Belagavi district in a bid to oust its Muslim headmaster, to judicial custody till August 11.

Senior Civil Judge Siddarama of the Savadatti court in Belagavi passed the order remanding the three accused, namely Sagar Patil, the Taluk President of Hindu rightwing group, Sriram Sene; Krishna Madar and Naganagouda.

The case concerns a July 14 incident that took place in Hoolikatti village, Savadatti Taluk, Belagavi District.

Eleven students of the Government Kannada Primary School were hospitalized after consuming contaminated water from the school’s designated drinking water tank.

Three were arrested on allegations that they were behind the act of contaminating the water tank. One of the accused, Krishna Madar was allegedly forced into helping the others with the crime. It is claimed that Madar was in a relationship with a woman from another caste, and that Sagar Patil had threatened to expose this relationship unless Madar cooperated in executing the act.

According to the first information report (FIR) filed in the matter, the three accused intentionally poisoned the drinking water with pesticide. It is alleged that this was done with malicious intent, to target the school's headmaster, Suleman Gorinaik Baraimama, because of his religion.

Following the consumption of the contaminated water, several students began exhibiting symptoms of poisoning, such as vomiting and dizziness, leading to urgent medical attention and hospitalization.

The complaint added that a student from the school who was lured using snacks and money was coerced into assisting the accused in the act.

The poisonous substance that was mixed with the water was allegedly procured from Munavvalli by Naganagouda and Krishna Madar, and subsequently mixed into the school’s water tank.

The FIR registered in the Soundatti Police Station cites the offences under Sections 125(a) (act endangering life or personal safety) and 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.