Karnataka: 3 dead, 1 critical after consuming herbal de-addiction mix; local held

All 4 consumed the herbal concoction, prepared by Fakirappa alias Sayappa who has been allegedly practising “traditional medicine” in the region for a few years

Bengaluru: A 26-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district following the death of three men and the hospitalisation of another after they allegedly consumed a herbal concoction prepared by him to help overcome alcohol addiction in Imdapura village.

All four began vomiting and complained of severe stomach pain. Their families took them to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences. (Representative photo)

Police have identified the deceased as Lakshmi Narasimhulu Batagera (55) from Buragapalli village; Nagesh (32) from Madakal; and Ganesh Rathod (30) from Dakka Tanda near Shahabad. “Batagera’s 42-year-old son Lingappa is undergoing treatment at the Kalaburagi District Hospital and doctors said he is in a critical condition,” an officer said.

All four of them reportedly consumed the herbal concoction on Sunday, prepared by the local — Fakirappa alias Sayappa — who has been allegedly practising “traditional medicine” in the region for a few years.

They had returned to him on Wednesday for a second dose. “On Wednesday, they approached Fakirappa again for de-addiction medicine. Soon after taking it, all four began vomiting and complained of severe stomach pain. Their families took them to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), where two died by evening and another late at night,” Sedam police inspector B. Upendra told HT.

A case has been registered under Section 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “Autopsies were conducted at the GIMS, and the bodies were handed over to the families on Thursday. We are awaiting the forensic science laboratory (FSL) report to determine the exact cause of death,” Upendra said.

Fakirappa’s family is reportedly known in the region for providing remedies for alcohol de-addiction, jaundice, and snake bites, referred to as “black magic” by locals.

Despite lacking formal medical training, he had reportedly built a reputation among communities in Karnataka and even neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “We are checking whether the substances used in the medicine were toxic or if the dosage was excessive,” a police officer associated with the investigation said.