Daijiworld Media Network - Chikkaballapur (SP)

Chikkaballapur, Jan 30: The three persons accused of causing the death of two women after prasada mixed with poison was distributed to devotees at Gangamma Gudi in Narasimhapet, Chintamani in the district, have confessed having added poison to the prasada. Three women who have been accused in the case and remanded to judicial custody happen to be Lakshmi wife of Manjunath (46) from Salipet, Chintamani, Amravati wife of Muniraju (28), a local, and Paravathamma (40), wife of Ramachandrappa, a flower vendor from Salipet.

It is said that Lakshmi had an illicit affair with Lokesh living near the temple. Lokesh's wife, Shreegouri, knew about this relationship, and she repeatedly asked her husband to mend his ways. Lokesh however, continued to have an affair with Lakshmi. Lokesh, who had married Shreegouri two and half years back, had started to live somewhere else since the last three months because of pressure from his wife.

Lakshmi, angered by this, planned to kill Shreegouri. On Friday, she mixed poison to prasada placed in two cups and sent the cups to the house of Shreegouri through Amravati, her domestic servant. It is said that Lakshmi, whose family is that of goldsmiths, had added ammonium nitrate or such other chemical to the prasada. Although Amravati delivered the prasada to her house, Shreegouri had not consumed it. Her mother, Saraswathamma, who consumed it, breathed her last on Saturday. Another cup, which was by mistake given to a person named Raju, was eaten by his wife, elder brother, and others in the family.   Kavita, wife of Gangadhar, who is the elder brother of Raju, died due to poisoning while others continue to be treated at R L Jalappa Hospital at Kolar.

In the meantime, Lokesh, who was absconding, was arrested from Bhadravati in Shivamogga district. Central range inspector general of police, B Dayanand, said that a thorough investigation will reveal whether he had a role in the murders or not.

The police, who had sent samples from the bodies of Kavita, and Saraswathamma, are waiting for the report of forensic science laboratory.