Residents of Kavadigara Hatti in Karnataka in shock following 3 deaths

As the reason for the deaths, and illness among other villagers, is not clear, the residents remain worried.

Three deaths, allegedly due to consumption of contaminated water, have left residents of a Dalit colony at Kavadigara Hatti in Chitradurga district in shock and despair. Even four days after the first death was reported, many people, including children, continue to complain of illness.

Manjula, 25, Raghu, 26, of Kavadigara Hatti and Praveen of Vaddara Siddanahalli near Chitradurga died in the last four days.

Manjula was admitted to a hospital on the night of July 30 after she complained of erratic bowel movement. She succumbed the next day. She is survived by her husband and two-year old daughter Sakshi, who is also under treatment.

Raghu had returned to Bengaluru, where he worked in a private firm, on July 31. He died on August 1.

Praveen, who had visited his relatives in Kavadigara Hatti on July 30, died later at Vaddara Siddanahalli.

Raghu’s mother Vimalamma was in tears. “My son had come to put his signature for a bank document. Within hours after returning to Bengaluru, he developed health complications and died,” she said. Raghu is survived by his mother and two sisters. His sister Ashwini’s three children have fallen sick and are undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Davangere.

Nearly 100 persons are undergoing treatment in different hospitals. An ambulance has been allotted to the village. The ambulance took at least five patients to hospitals on August 3.