MYSURU/CHAMARAJANAGAR: The tracking of call detail records (CDR) has emerged as one of the most tried and successful methods of investigation in the recent years. It’s the same method of investigation that came in handy for the probe officials in busting what had turned out to be one of the ‘deadliest’ attack on mankind, with the prasadam served at the temple turning out to be one ‘last supper’ for 15 devotees who have breathed their last so far.
Soon after the news of devotees taking ill after consuming prasadam laced with poison, served at Kichugut Maaramma Temple near Hanur in Chamarajanagar district, spread like a wildfire, Ambika, the accused number two (A2) in the case, had also rushed towards the temple. It is only to ensure whether the plot hatched by them has worked out as expected. Soon after returning home, Ambika had called Immadi Mahadeva Swamy alias Devanna Buddhi, the junior pontiff of Salur Mutt, the prime accused in the case, over cell phone. Likewise, there were 43 calls made between Ambika and the pontiff, in 10 hours on the day of the incident. Just to avoid being caught, Ambika had used a different SIM card on her cell phone rather than a dual SIM she already had been using regularly.
A police officer attached to the investigation told The New Indian Express “while we try many methods in our quiver during the course of investigation, assessing call details records (CDR) is just a part of it.”
Locals provide info
While the needle of suspicion was being pointed towards temple trustee Chinnappi, who had been taken into custody by the police soon after the incident, the investigators were in haze till they learnt about the visit of an official attached to the agriculture department to Ambika’s house at Martalli. It was only after quizzing the particular officer, the investigators were convinced that ‘pesticide’ had been handed over to Ambika, who was in the coterie of Mahadeva Swamy.
However, it was not that easy to come to a conclusion still, as the investigators had been going up to Bagur. It was only after quizzing Ambika did the police learn about the plot and allied matters that eventually helped in unearthing the case.
Cops reconstruct crime scene
Chamarajanagar: Three of the four persons arrested on the charges of spiking prasadam served to the devotees at Kichugut Maaramma Temple at Suluvadi in the district, were brought to the temple as part of the investigation on Thursday. While the prime accused and junior pontiff of Salur Mutt Immadi Mahadeva Swamy is also in the police custody, the remaining three accused —Ambika and her husband Madesh and another accused Dodda Thammadi alias Doddaiah — were brought to the kitchen where exactly the plan was executed. However, the police found it tough for sometime, as the irate locals who had already gathered near the temple, hurled abuses against the accused who were still inside the police jeep. SP Dharmendra Prasad Meena told TNIE that all the four accused are in police custody for four days. They have been cooperating with the ongoing investigation, he added.