Four die after taking herbal medicine from traditional healer for alcohol de-addiction

Four people, including a woman, died after consuming herbal medicine given by a self-declared folk healer for alcohol de-addiction at Imadapur village in Sedam taluk of Kalaburagi district on Wednesday (August 6, 2025).

The four who died have been identified as 45-year-old Lakshmi Narasimhalu, a hotel employee and resident of Burugupalli village, 27-year-old Nagesh Gadugu of Madakal village, 30-year-old Ganesh Rathod from Dakka tanda in Shahabad taluk and 35-year-old Manohar Chavan of Bheemanahalli tanda in Chittapur taluk of Kalaburagi district.

The four died on Wednesday evening, while another who also took the medicine is in critical condition and getting treatment at GIMS.

A complaint was lodged by Navitha Bhagappa Kachavar in the Sedam Police Station on Wednesday in which she stated that her mother Lakshmi Narasimhalu and her brother Ningappa on Tuesday called her to obtain token from traditional healer named Fakirappa of Imadapur village for getting medicine from him for alcohol de-addiction.

As insisted upon by her mother, Navitha Kachavar and her husband visited Imadapur on Wednesday morning to collect token for consultation. Her mother and brother reached Imadapur at noon.

By 2 p.m., the traditional healer gave a concoction of herbal medicine to her mother, brother and others, including Nagesh, Ganesh and Manohar, who all fell unconscious after consuming the medication.

The victims were initially rushed to the Sedam Taluk Hospital and then, Lakshmi Narashimhalu and Ningappa were shifted to Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Kalaburagi.

Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu said that accused Fakirappa has been arrested. He was sent to judicial custody on Thursday.

The former MLA Rajkumar Patil Telkur demanded that the State government provide ₹25 lakh compensation to the kin of each one of the four dead.