In a shocking incident that raised concerns over communal tension and child safety, Karnataka police have arrested three individuals including a local leader of the right-wing Shriram Sena for allegedly poisoning the drinking water tank of a government primary school in Hulikatti village, Belagavi district.
The arrested include Sagar Patil, the taluk president of Shriram Sena, along with two other accomplices. According to the police investigation, the motive behind the act was to falsely implicate the school’s Muslim headmaster, with the intent of forcing his transfer and inciting communal discord in the village.
The incident came to light nearly two weeks ago after several schoolchildren reportedly fell ill upon consuming the contaminated water. Fortunately, no fatalities were reported and all affected children have since recovered, police confirmed.
Police officials revealed that the arrested individuals were driven by religious bias and planned the poisoning to stir up communal unrest. The three have been booked under multiple legal sections, including those related to endangering public safety and promoting enmity between communities.
Reacting to the disturbing incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued a strong statement condemning the act. Taking to social media platform X, he called it a “heinous crime” motivated by religious hatred.
ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಸವದತ್ತಿ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ಹೂಲಿಕಟ್ಟಿ ಗ್ರಾಮದ ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ಶಾಲೆಯ ಮುಖ್ಯೋಪಾಧ್ಯಾಯರು ಮುಸ್ಲಿಂ ಸಮುದಾಯಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರಿದವರು, ಅವರನ್ನು ತಮ್ಮ ಊರಿನಿಂದ ಬೇರೆಡೆಗೆ ವರ್ಗಾವಣೆ ಮಾಡಿಸಬೇಕೆಂಬ ದುರುದ್ದೇಶದಿಂದ ಶಾಲಾಮಕ್ಕಳ ಕುಡಿಯುವ ನೀರಿಗೆ ವಿಷ ಹಾಕಿದ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮ ಸೇನೆಯ ತಾಲೂಕು ಅಧ್ಯಕ್ಷ ಸಾಗರ ಪಾಟೀಲ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಒಟ್ಟು ಮೂವರನ್ನು…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) August 3, 2025
“Religious fundamentalism and communal hatred can lead to heinous acts, and this incident, which could have resulted in the massacre of innocent children, is a testament to that,” Siddaramaiah stated.
He did not hold back in questioning political leaders associated with right-wing ideologies. In a direct reference, he asked,
“Will Pramod Mutalik take responsibility for this incident? Will @BYVijayendra take responsibility? Will @RAshokaBJP take responsibility?”
Siddaramaiah further criticized leaders who, according to him, “support such socially destructive acts,” urging them to come forward and atone for their sins.
In response to the growing threat of communal violence and extremism, the Karnataka government has formed a special task force to curb hate speech and religious intolerance. The Chief Minister also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or divisive activities.
“Congratulations to the police personnel who foiled the evil plot to massacre children. I have full confidence that the judicial system will deliver appropriate punishment to the culprits who committed such a heinous act,” Siddaramaiah added.
The deliberate poisoning of schoolchildren, driven by a communal agenda, has sparked widespread outrage and fear in Karnataka. The government has assured strict legal action, while the public demands justice and increased protection against communal conspiracies in educational institutions.
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