In a shocking incident, the Karnataka police arrested three men for allegedly poisoning a government school water tank with pesticides in order to frame its Muslim headmaster and create communal unrest. Thirteen school children fell ill after consuming the contaminated water.
The incident occurred in a lower primary government school in Hoolikatti village of Belagavi district. The three men – Krishna Madar, Sagar Patil, and Naganagouda Patil – have been sent to judicial remand and are lodged in Hindalga jail, Belagavi superintendent of police Bhimashankar Guled said.
According to police, Sagar and Naganagouda wanted to remove the school headmaster, Sulaiman Gorinayak, and kept pressuring the authorities. Sagar owns a local dhaba and is an active member of a Hindutva organisation.
Headmaster Gorinayak has been working for 13 years.
Class 5 student poisoned water tank
The dangerous incident unfolded on July 14 when 13 students fell ill after consuming the poisonous water tank.
Police began investigations based on a complaint by headmaster Gorinayak. Forensic experts recovered a discarded Maaza bottle near the water tank, which confirmed the presence of pesticides.
Investigation led to a Class 5 student who admitted to mixing the soft drink in the water tank, but also said he was tricked by one of the accused, Krishna.
Krishna, on interrogation, told the police that Sagar and Nagangouda had allegedly blackmailed him into the act after they threatened to reveal his relationship with a girl from another caste.
“The three men are believed to have attempted to create communal tension in the area by fabricating circumstances that would lead to the transfer of the headmaster,” police said.
All the affected children have since recovered.
“Cannot believe it!” CM Siddaramaiah
Strongly condemning the incident, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah called the act a “grave threat” to communal harmony.
“Religious fundamentalism and communal hatred can lead to heinous acts, and this incident, which could have resulted in the massacre of innocent children, is a testament to that. In the land of the Sharanas, who proclaimed, ‘Compassion is the root of religion,’ how could such cruelty and hatred arise? Even at this moment, I cannot believe it,” he said
Taking on BJP leaders and right-wing organisations, he said those who spread hatred in the name of religion for political gains should engage in self-reflection.
“Will Pramod Mutalik (Sriram Sena head) take responsibility for this incident? Will @BYVijayendra take responsibility? Will @RAshokaBJP take responsibility? Leaders who always support such socially destructive acts should now come forward and atone for their sins,” Siddaramaiah sought to know.
The Chief Minister warned that all forms of extremism pose a threat to society.
“All forms of fanaticism and fundamentalism are dangerous to human society. To curb hate speeches and communal riots, we have formed a special task force, and we are taking all possible legal measures against such elements,” he said.
