Three men poison govt school water tank to get Muslim headmaster transferred, arrested

BELAGAVI: Three people have been arrested for poisoning the water tank in a government school at Hoolikatti village in Savadatti taluk to get the Muslim headmaster transferred. The incident, which occurred on July 14, had left 13 children sick.

Belagavi district Police Superintendent Bhimashankar Guled said the arrested Krishna Madar, Sagar Patil and Naganagouda Patil have been remanded to judicial custody and sent to the Hindalga jail.

Water samples had been collected from the school tank for testing.

The SP said the school headmaster Sulaiman Gorinayak had been serving in the government lower primary school for the last 13 years. Sagar Patil and Naganagouda Patil had conspired to get Sulaiman transferred from the school and blackmailed Krishna Madar into getting the school water tank poisoned.

Krishna Madar, Sagar Patil and Naganagouda Patil.

Sagar Patil, a Hindu group leader, threatened Krishna that he would publicise his relationship with a girl from another caste. He handed Krishna a Maaza bottle in which three types of poisonous substances had been mixed. Krishna, in turn, lured a Class 5 boy to pour the poisonous liquid into the water tank.

During investigation, the police had found the bottle on the school premises. During questioning, the Class 5 boy revealed that Krishna Madar had given him the bottle and had also handed a packet of chips and Rs 500 in cash. Following their arrest, the trio had admitted to the act, the SP said, and added that Sagar and Naganagouda nursed anger against the Muslim headmaster and wanted to get him transferred.