A woman prays at the Kichugutti Maramma temple in Sulvadi

‘I prefer death...': A year later, Karnataka prasadam victims rue unkept promises

Sulvadi and nearby villages wear a gloomy look like the cloudy weather outside.

HANUR (Chamarajnagar district): Sulvadi and nearby villages wear a gloomy look like the cloudy weather outside. The families look haunted with the memories of that dreadful day on December 14 last year when they lost their loved ones in the temple prasadam tragedy.

“I should have died then when I had the poisoned prasadam instead of being a burden on my family. How long can I depend on them for food or basic needs? I prefer death to leading this crippled life,” said Rajamma, with tears in her eyes.

“We have already spent more than Rs 50,000 on health follow-up as the local Primary Health Centre has no specialists or facilities. The then government assured us free treatment after discharge from hospitals,” she added. Rajamma’s is not the only sad tale.

A year after they survived consuming the poisoned prasadam at the Kichugutti Maramma temple in Sulvadi on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, the over 100 victims, mostly daily wage earners, stare at a bleak future. Some beg on the streets for their survival while most who are crippled can’t go and work in the fields.

Shanmugam with his children at his house near Sulvadi | K Shivakumar

The tragedy claimed the lives of 17 persons, including five women and two children. The main accused is the junior pontiff of Salur mutt, Male Mahadeshwara Hills, who had allegedly hatched the plan to avenge his long-standing enmity with the senior pontiff.

All of them had a harrowing tale to tell

NIE visited the families at Bidarahalli, Doraswamymedu, Sulvadi and nearby places at the foot of the Malamahadeshwara Hills. All of them had a harrowing tale to tell. Shanmugam cleans the photo of his six-year-old son Preetham who died on his birthday after visiting the temple with his mother Madamma. “I am lucky that my two other children did not consume the prasadam. We have never had prasadam after that,” he said.

Nala, 80, looks at the Jeep and cars visiting Bidarahalli, hoping that the officials will come with papers of the promised grant of land and sites. Nala lost his son, daughter-in-law and grandson in the tragedy. Only he, his wife and granddaughter Soundarya survived.With no one to fall back on, Nala said, “I may die any time, I want someone to take care of my granddaughter. So I got her married to a mason. Every moment is painful as I have lost my family members. This has also pushed my wife into depression. The answer to all these woes is with the god,” he said.

“I beg with my relatives for one square meal. I am neither given cattle nor a site as promised by the then government,” said Madi. The then CM H D Kumaraswamy had announced Rs 12 lakh compensation to the kin of the deceased and Rs 1.5 lakh each to the survivors and also assured them 25 kg of rice and dal, a site and two acres of land.

However, their interaction with District Minister S Suresh Kumar during his visit to Sulvadi has raised some hopes. The minister said that the temple has been taken over by the Muzrai department. He said that he will direct the administrator to make some arrangements for conducting puja regularly at Maramma temple.

The victims’ families and the survivors want the government to immediately resume distribution of 25 kg of rice and dal at least for the next two years. “Why will we ask for ration if we were healthy and able to go to work,” they asked. Although the Revenue officials have identified about 20 acres of land near Bidarahalli for the kin of the deceased, Deputy Commissioner Kaveri said that they will seek government approval as they have no provision to pay more than Rs 3 lakh for purchase of land.P G Mani, social worker, working for the cause of deceased families and survivors, demanded that the government rehabilitate the survivors by providing house and land.

Deserted Temple

The temple has been closed for a year now. The open field in the premises is occupied by stray cattle. The Rampura police have sealed the temple’s kitchen, the storeroom and the sanctum sanctorum. The temple is guarded by police round-the-clock. The villagers plan a condolence meeting on the first anniversary at Bhrameshwari temple.

What was assured

HDK govt and Centre announced a compensation of Rs 12.5 lakh to families of deceased and Rs 1.5 lakh to survivors
Setting up of special court to try Sulvadi case
25 kg of rice and dal for a year
A site and two acres of land for families of each deceased
Free follow-up health check-ups for survivors in major hospitals
Cattle for survivors

Unkept promises