Bengaluru: It seems superstitious beliefs are part and parcel of the life of the Sulwadi residents in Kollegal taluk of the Chamarajanagar taluk where 17 devotees died after eating poison-laced prasadam on December 14.

Immediately after the poisoning incident, the police had detained temple trustee Chinnappi, who was also the member of the Martalli Grama Panchayat. He was released after the arrest of the four accused. However, on the mid night of Saturday, December 22, which was also a full moon, Chinnappi has done something unimaginable.

He rolled around the locked temple holding neem leaves proclaiming that he has been possessed by presiding deity Goddess Maramma.

When some locals tried to probe from Chinnappi about the tragic incident and asked how many personalities were behind the temple prasadam poisoning episode, Chinnappi showed six fingers.

“He was wearing a white shirt and white dhoti. As he was rolling around the temple, blood started oozing from his body,” said locals.
Hanur MLA R Narendra took a dig at Chinnappi on this. “Where was the Maramma when hundreds of devotees were eating poison laced Prasadam,” he questioned.