Rape chargesheet against seer Raghaveshwara is void, says HC: Whose lapse is it?

Law, Order and Justice The HC order means that everything that happened after the chargesheet was filed, including the trial and court proceedings, have been held as bad in law, on technical grounds. Sanyukta Dharmadhikari A procedural lapse by the Karnataka state government in 2015 and a very technical view taken by the Karnataka High Court has led to the chargesheet filed against rape-accused Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamy to be held null and void. The Karnataka High Court has ruled that the chargesheet in a 2014 rape case against the head seer of the Ramachandrapura Math was not filed by the appropriate police station, and therefore it has no consequence in law. This judgment means that everything that happened after the chargesheet was filed, including trial and court proceedings, has been held as bad in law, on technical grounds. The case is from 2014, when a woman employed as a Rama Katha singer at the Ramachandrapura Math, alleged that she was sexually assaulted multiple times between 2011 and 2014 by Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamy. The chargesheet was filed in September 2015, when the Congress was in power in the state. A Karnataka sessions court in 2016 discharged the seer, saying that there is absolutely no iota of materials to frame the charges against the accused. The survivor, as well as the state, had filed two separate criminal revision petitions in the High Court in 2016 against the trial court discharge verdict. The Karnataka High Court bench of Justice Srishananda on December 29, 2021, dismissed both the criminal revision petitions on two counts one that the survivor did not have the legal capacity to challenge the trial court verdict, and that the Crime Investigation Department (CID) team which filed the chargesheet in the rape case did not have the jurisdiction to do so, and hence the chargesheet is invalid. Coming to the states revision petition, filed by the CID in the Karnataka High Court, the bench of Justice Srishananda held that as per criminal law, the chargesheet has to be filed by an officer at a police station. This is mandated under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The law says: As soon as it is completed, the officer in charge of the police station shall forward to a Magistrate empowered to take cognizance of the offence on a police report, a report in the form prescribed by the State Government. However, since the Crime Investigation Department (CID), which filed the chargesheet, was not officially designated as a police station, the chargesheet does not stand in law. The Crime Investigation Department has an investigation wing headquartered in Bengaluru, but it is not designated as a police station. A 1979 Karnataka government notification allows CID officers to investigate an offence and this officer will be an officer-in-charge of the police station. But the court has said that the criminal law is clear and though the CID can investigate cases, the chargesheet has to be filed by the police station where the FIR was lodged. In this case, this did not happen, the court said. The court relied on a recent Karnataka High Court judgment to say that as per law, only an officer in charge of the police station can file a conclusive report or a chargesheet in a case. Though the prosecution cited a government order, the High Court held that the government order only empowers the CID to investigate the case, but the chargesheet should have been filed by the police station in this case, the Girinagar police station where the FIR was first registered. The basic requirement of declaration of an officer of CID to be an officer-in-charge of the police station, that is, the office of CID should be declared to be a police station. Admittedly, there is no notification issued under Section 2(m) (supra) declaring an officer of CID to be a police station. Therefore, the officer-in-charge in the office of the CID cannot be an officer-in-charge of a police station, without at the outset the office of the CID being declared as a police station, a different bench of the Karnataka High Court had held earlier on December 13. (Notably, this was a petition filed by one Mahesh*, against proceedings of his divorce case, and the woman he is married to has also accused Raghaveshwara Bharathi of raping her multiple times when she was a minor.) Not a precedent However, it is surprising that firstly, the chargesheet was not filed as per the law by the officer-in-charge at the Girinagar police station who first filed the rape case in 2014. Secondly, the Karnataka High Court has ruled in a very technical manner, says Bengaluru-based senior advocate S Balan. Consider the example of the City Crime Branch (CCB) in Karnataka, he explains. The CCB is also an investigating team. The Commissioner of Police directs the CCB to probe a case for a specific investigative purpose. The CCB is also not a police station. However, they file chargesheets in cases like cybercrime, economic offences exceeding Rs 1 crore, murder cases in all these cases, they can investigate and file chargesheet. Now, on a similar note, the Karnataka High Court in January 2021 said that the CCB cannot file a chargesheet. This case has been stayed and is pending in the Supreme Court. But, there are cases where chargesheets have been filed by the CCB and this technical issue is not raised. In the rape case, there's an influential Hindu swamy who is the accused. It is a controversial point. And the court has held the chargesheet issue only in this case. Can the court quash all such chargesheets? Can the court nullify the authority of CID? he asks. A woman is raped, and just for a technical ground, the courts say that investigating agencies cannot file a chargesheet then what about the woman? Should this be set aside or should it be referred to the police station to file a chargesheet? advocate Balan asks. Advocate Balan says that there have been cases where the CID, or even the CCB, has filed a chargesheet and the accused have been convicted for life. They (courts) don't even grant bail, he says, adding that this is where a 'predictive policing algorithm comes into play that there is a bias, often over the religion of the accused. Take the case of Abdul Nasser Madani, leader of Kerala's People Democratic Party, who is facing trial in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case. In the Madani case, the chargesheet was filed by the CCB, and the court does not grant bail. The trial has been going on for the last 13 years, advocate Balan says. See, I openly say, if a Muslim is an offender in a case, whatever the police do, the High Courts do not intervene, the advocate says. If the accused is a Muslim, no technicality. If the accused is a Hindu Swamiji, all technicalities the High Court considers. It's very discriminating. That's how the state works, the judiciary works, he adds. Why court dismissed survivors petition In the revision petition filed by the survivor, the accused seers counsel had submitted to the court that she cannot contest every order of the court in the course of the trial, which the High Court has agreed with. The High Court said that in India, under the law, a victim has limited rights to contest or appeal against an order. According to criminal laws in India, a victim or survivor of a crime can appeal against a final order only under three conditions. One, the victim can appeal against an order of acquittal; two, if the punishment or sentence is lesser or inadequate; and three, in case compensation is not enough or is inadequate. Victimology, or the study of victims of a crime, is a developing concept of India, the court held, and victims have a very specific right. This specific right to appeal cannot be applied to each and every order that is passed by the trial court. The court said that the state or public prosecutor is empowered by the criminal laws to contest the trial court order, but a victim or survivor of that crime is not necessarily empowered to do so. The court cannot pass orders to allow the victims appeal because it is the Legislatures job to strengthen victims rights in India, and the judiciary cannot usurp the area of the Legislature through a judicial order. In future, on the further development of victimology, the legislature may carve out necessary rights for the victim as well, even to challenge the orders that would be passed during the trial depending upon the need that may arise in a given case, the High Court held. Also read: Indias justice system hardly cares about what the victim wants, and this must change Therefore, the survivors revision petition was held not maintainable and was dismissed by the Karnataka High Court. A fit case for appeal This is a fit case for the Supreme Court to examine, legal experts whom TNM spoke to said. The survivors lawyer, speaking to TNM, had said that they are planning to appeal against the High Court order in the Supreme Court. The case pertains to the alleged sexual assault of a woman disciple who had joined the Rama Katha programme at the Ramachandrapura Math in 2010 and was the main singer in a troupe of five. The seer allegedly started making advances towards her in September 2011, and in October 2011, he allegedly raped her. He allegedly also called her into his private chambers on the pretext of 'praying to Lord Rama', and according to the survivor, she could not resist the sexual assault as she was suffused with the fear of divine wrath and felt bound by the vow forced on her. A case was filed, and after the trial, the Karnataka trial court acquitted him. The woman and the police probing the case had both filed separate petitions in the Karnataka High Court challenging the verdict. Raghaveshwara Bharathi, originally Harish Sharma before he became a godman, is the current head seer of Ramachandrapura Math in Karnatakas Shivamogga district. He belongs to the small but extremely powerful Havyaka Brahmin caste in Karnataka. Apart from this rape case, and another one involving a minor, Raghaveshwara Bharathi has also been facing other cases there are charges of alleged land grabbing and misuse of power against him. TNM had earlier reported on the series of recusals by Karnataka High Court judges from various cases that Raghaveshwara is facing. Read here: A powerful Karnataka seer accused in two rape cases and a saga of recusals by judges (*Name changed to protect survivors identity)

Bengaluru records 22% annual growth in domestic passenger traffic in 2021

Aviation During the period, the Bengaluru airport has been able to recover 48% of the pre-COVID level traffic of 33.65 million total passengers handled in CY 2019. IANS PTI The Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has welcomed 16.07 million passengers, registering a growth of 18.9 per cent in Calender Year 2021 (CY 2021) when compared to 13.51 million passengers in 2020. During the period, the BLR Airport has been able to recover 48.0 per cent of the pre-COVID level traffic of 33.65 million passengers handled in CY 2019. The airport also recorded its highest-ever cargo tonnage, despite a turbulent pandemic environment. With the gradual easing of curbs by various state governments, domestic passenger traffic recorded a double-digit growth of 22.0 per cent, an upswing from 12.39 million in CY 2020 to 15.12 million in CY 2021. During the period, the BLR Airport processed an all-time high tonnage of 406,688 Metric Tonnes (MT) of cargo, recording a significant growth of 28.6 per cent versus 316,305 MT in 2020. Similarly, the international cargo recorded a 32.8 per cent growth, 265,873 MT processed, as compared to 200,209 MT in 2020. Domestic cargo grew at 21.3 per cent, 140,815 MT processed versus 116,096 MT in 2020. The US and Europe continue to be the top trade lanes from BLR Airport.The tremendous recovery in air cargo is a positive sign for the aviation sector that has been severely impacted by the pandemic, said Hari Marar, MD and CEO, Bangalore International Airport Limited.The key factors that contributed to the cargo growth at Bengaluru Airport are our resilient ecosystem that ensured efficient operations round the clock; focus on supply chain efficiencies; conducive geographic location, aided with robust infrastructure and technology; right mix of commodities, and adequate airline capacities to key markets, globally, Marar added. A total of 13 airlines operate freighters to and from Bengaluru Airport to various domestic and international destinations. Notably, the BLR Airport has emerged as the number 1 airport in the country for perishable exports, accounting for 31.0 per cent of India's total perishable shipments during FY 2020-21. Meanwhile, international passenger traffic shrunk by 15.5 per cent, from 1.12 million in CY 2020 to 0.94 million in CY 2021.The positive environment in 2021 ignited hopes for a better 2022 in terms of recovery. However, the recent outbreak of the new Omicron variant followed by a rapid surge in Covid-19 cases across the country is expected to suppress growth further, said Marar.We believe that air traffic will eventually recover. However, the pace of recovery will depend on factors such as favorable policies by regulators and easing of travel restrictions across the country and the globe, amongst others, he added. The year also saw a significant growth in the number of domestic destinations from 54 (pre-Covid) to 74, the highest ever for Bengaluru Airport. Meanwhile, the BLR Airport currently serves 20 international destinations under the Government of India's Air Bubble arrangement. The top domestic routes in CY 2021 were Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Goa, with these sectors contributing 40.0 per cent to the traffic. On the international front, Dubai, Male, Doha, London, and Frankfurt were the top cities, contributing 70.0 per cent to the traffic. In January, Air India commenced the twice weekly, non-stop Bengaluru-San Francisco service. With this, BLR Airport became the first airport in South and Central India to have direct connectivity to North America. Japan Airlines commenced flights under the Air Bubble arrangement between Bengaluru-Tokyo Narita from March 2021. Meanwhile, United Airlines and American Airlines are expected to commence operations in 2022 to San Francisco and Seattle, respectively. BLR Airport concluded the year 2021 on a memorable note by winning the CII Customer Obsession Award from the Confederation of Indian Industries. This is the first time that an Airport in India has won the CII Customer Obsession Award.

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Ex-call centre employee held in Bluru for running fake IT recruitment

Bengaluru:The Karnataka Police have nabbed a 34-year-old former call centre employee on charges of cheating engineering graduates and job aspirants in the pretext of getting them a placement in a top software company in Bengaluru, police said on Tuesday. The police have seized 40 fake appointment letters from the accused and are investigating the matter. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

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Politics Revenue Minister R Ashoka and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy have not been assigned any districts. PTI Almost six months into his government coming to office, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday, January 24, allocated districts among the Ministers of his Cabinet, of which they will be in-charge, while keeping the key Bengaluru Urban district with himself. Effecting a complete change to the previous BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government, CM Bommai has not assigned any minister their home districts under which their Assembly constituency comes. While at least two senior ministers Revenue Minister R Ashoka and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy have not been assigned any districts, three Ministers BC Patil, K Gopalaiah and Shankar B Patil Munenakoppa have been allocated two districts each. This is the first time after the Bommai government came to power that each district has got an in-charge Minister, as earlier Ministers were assigned districts only for COVID-19 management and for flag-hoisting at headquarters on Independence Day. As indicated recently, the Chief Minister, who will complete six months in office on January 28, will continue to remain Minister in-charge for Bengaluru development. This even as senior Minister V Somanna, currently holding the Housing portfolio, had openly expressed his desire to be made in-charge of Bengaluru amid reports that some city legislators and ministers were expressing their reservation internally about a move to give the post to Revenue Minister R Ashoka, considered close to Bommai. With the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections due to take place, it was earlier widely expected that the responsibility of Bengaluru development would be allocated to a senior minister from the city. However, the Chief Minister has retained it like his predecessor BS Yediyurappa did, keeping in view the number of aspirants for it. Interestingly, B Sriramulu, who represents Molakalmooru Assembly segment in Chitradurga, has got his home district of Ballari; while C N Ashwath Narayana continues as Ramanagra district in-charge, where he seems to be in a turf war with Congress' DK Sivakumar and DK Suresh. The ministers and districts allocated to them are Govind Karjol (Belagavi), KS Eshwarappa (Chikkamagaluru), V Somanna (Chamarajnagara), Umesh Katti (Vijayapura), S Angara (Udupi), Araga Jnanendra (Tumakuru), CC Patil (Bagalkote), Anand Singh (Koppal), Kota Shrinivas Poojari (Uttara Kannada), Prabhu Chauhan (Yadgir) and Murugesh Nirani (Kalaburagi). Also, Shivaram Hebbar (Haveri), ST Somashekar (Mysuru), B C Patil (Chitradurga and Gadag), BA Basavaraj (Davangere), K Sudhakar (Bengaluru Rural), K Gopalaiah (Hassan and Mandya), Shashikala Jolle (Vijayanagara), MTB Nagaraj (Chikkaballapura), KC Narayana Gowda (Shivamogga), BC Nagesh (Kodagu), Sunil Kumar (Dakshina Kannada), Halappa Achar (Dharwad), Shankar B Patil Munenakoppa (Raichur and Bidar), and Munirathna (Kolar). According to party sources, despite demand from several Ministers to be made in-charge of their home districts, the Chief Minister has decided against it while making appointments. Interestingly, the appointment of district in-charge Ministers has come at a time when Bommai is under pressure from party legislators to expand or rejig his Cabinet. However, there are talks in party circles that the expansion or reshuffle of the Cabinet is likely, only after the Assembly elections in five States. There are currently 30 Ministers in the State Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.

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Showroom salesman mocks farmers looking for a new car. They return with Rs 10 lakh

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Bengaluru to see power cuts on January 25, 26: List of areas

Power cut The power outages are a result of maintenance works at various stations, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) said. TNM Staff Representative image | Unsplash-MathewHenry Parts of Bengaluru are expected to see power interruptions on Tuesday, January 25, and Wednesday, January 26. The power outages are a result of maintenance works at various stations, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) said. January 25 On Tuesday, power cuts are expected in Shanthinagar, Bikasipura, ISRO Layout, Siddapura, Sarakki Market, Banashankari 2nd stage, Siddanna Layout, KIMS College Road, Hanumagiri Layout, Vinayaka Layout, Tulasi Theatre road, Gandhinagara Road, Kalena Agrahara, phases 1 to 5 of JP Nagar, Dollars Colony, Chikkalasandra, Marathahalli, Kaveri Layout, Spice Garden, Outer Ring Road, 8th and 9th phase of HSR Layout and Bellandur flyover to Sarjapur Road, in the south zone. Read: Karnataka records highest single-day spike with over 50k new COVID-19 cases In the east zone, power outages are expected in Suddagunte Palya, KG Pura main road, Thanisandra main road and Gayathri Layout. In the north zone, the outages will be in New BEL Road, Mathikere main road, Hesaraghatta main road, KHB Colony, Jakkur main road, RT Nagar and Nrupathunga Road, Narayanapura and Sobha Chrysanthemum apartment. In the west zone, areas including Chamundi Nagar, Gandhi Bazaar, BHEL Layout, Vidyapeetha Road, Hosahalli Road and BDA colony will be affected. The power outages across the city are likely to last from 10 am to about 5 pm. Read: Debt-ridden Bengaluru engineer robs bank of Rs 85 lakh, arrested by police January 26 In the south zone, areas which will be affected on Wednesday include ISRO Layout, 24th main JP Nagar, Lakshmi Road Kumaraswamy Layout and Doddakammanahalli. The power cuts will last from 10 am to about 5 pm. In the north zone, areas including Sundar Nagar, BEL industrial estate, Bagalur Main Road, Maruthi Nagar, Dwaraka Nagar and the Vivek Marvels apartment will be affected due to maintenance works at the respective stations. Power cuts here are expected to last from 10 am to 5 pm. Bengaluru suffers from a perennial power cut problem, even though Karnataka, as a state, has surplus power and suffers low losses at the transmission level. Experts say Bengalurus Bescom and the distribution sector are the weak links in the system. Read: Explained: What causes Bengalurus frequent power cuts

Hindu group barges into Karnataka school, opposes students offering namaz in classroom

Controversy Even as no formal complaint has been filed against the school so far, the District Collector has ordered a probe after members of the Hindu organisation protested. TNM Staff In another incident of right wing groups causing communal disharmony in Karnataka, a Hindu hardline group in Kolar district created a ruckus over a group of Muslim students offering namaz within school premises on Friday, January 21. A video of students offering prayers at a government school in Mulbagal surfaced on Sunday, January 23. In the same video, a group of men belonging to a Hindu group can also be seen barging into the school office and shouting. Police officials were called to intervene and the men can be seen arguing with them as well. According to reports, some students of Mulbagal Someshwara Palaya Bale Changappa Government Kannada Model Higher Primary School have been offering Friday prayers inside the premises since December 2021. Even as no formal complaint has been filed against the school so far, the District Collector(DC) has ordered a probe after members of the Hindu organisation protested. According to reports, the students were apparently given permission to hold their prayers within the school by the headmistress, Uma Devi, to prevent the children from going outside the premises. But after the ruckus on January 21, Uma Devi denied any knowledge about this. In a video, the headmistress is heard saying that she was unaware of the development and came to know about this only after being informed by the Block Education Officer. It has happened without my knowledge. In the future, we will not allow this. All students are equal for us. We have not told anyone to do namaz or anything, she said. The Block Education Officer (BEO) Girijeshwari Devi, speaking to TNM confirmed that she has not received any formal complaint so far. I have seen the video of namaz. Some Hindu organisations had sent me the video. I had already sent a team to investigate the incident and received a report. The headmistress admitted that she had given permission. Now the District Collector too is sending a team, she said. She said that according to the team that visited the school, around 25-30 students were performing namaz regularly. There are around 165 students from the Muslim community and the total strength of the school is 375. There is a mosque right next to the school, there is no issue in them going there for prayers, Girijeshwari Devi said. We have not received any complaints from any of the other students opposing the namaz, she added. A source working in the school said that when the school reopened after the pandemic, it was difficult to retain students in the classrooms for the entire day. Many of them would leave the premises for afternoon prayers and then would not come back for the afternoon session. So, it was decided that they could perform namaz inside the school during the lunch break. The source also added that none of the students from other communities have raised any objections to this and it became a point of contention only after members of a Hindu group got involved. In the video of the protest in front of the school, one of the protestors is heard saying that the school has a history of students becoming IAS and IPS officers and this incident has pained them and tainted the image of the school. After the news of the commotion created by the Hindu group spread, Deputy Commissioner of the district, Umesh Kumar ordered an inquiry into the incident by the Deputy Director of Public Instruction. This comes at a time when Karnataka has been seeing a series of incidents where Muslims and Christians are being targeted by Hindu hardline groups. Most recently, in Gadag district, a Bajrang Dal leader was arrested as one of the accused over the murder of a Muslim youth. Read: Muslim youth murdered in Karnataka, Bajrang Dal leader among four arrested In another incident, in Udupis Womens Government Pre-University College, eight Muslim students who wanted to wear their Hijab to college were barred from attending classes over violation of dress code, following protests by ABVP. There have also been a series of attacks in the state against members of the Christian community over allegations of forced conversions. Read: It's our right to wear hijab, don't bar us from class: Udupi students speak up

B'luru: Experts lambast decision to keep schools closed

The National Coalition on the Education Emergency, a group of individuals and organizations that works in the field of education, has slammed the state government for keeping schools in Bengaluru closed while scrapping weekend curfew and allowing almost all other sectors to function.

Karnataka records highest single-day spike with over 50k new COVID-19 cases

Coronavirus Bengaluru Urban recorded 26,299 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours against 12,787 discharges. IANS pti Karnataka logged 50,210 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, January 23 in the highest single-day spike in the state. It also registered 22,842 discharges and 19 deaths. Positivity rate for the day stood at 22.77 per cent and Case Fatality Rate for the day was recorded 0.03 per cent. Total active cases in the state went up to 3,57,796, the number of Omicron cases went up to 931, while 2,956 Delta cases are being treated in the state, as per the statistics of Department of Health and Family Welfare. Bengaluru Urban recorded 26,299 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours against 12,787 discharges. Mysuru (4,359) recorded the highest number of COVID cases after it. Tumakuru (1,963), Hassan (1,922), Kodagu (1,139) and Mandya (1,455) districts reported more than 1,000 cases in the state. A 27-year-old male from Shivamogga and 33-year-old male from Tumakuru were among the 19 deceased persons. Positivity rate has increased to 22.77 per cent from 12.45 per cent in the last week. Recovery rate has decreased from 92.12 per cent to 88.73 per cent. A total of 3,566 persons have been admitted to the hospital across the state in the last 24 hours and 129 persons are in ICU-Ventilator beds, as per the data. A total of 2,20,459 tests were done in the last 24 hours across the state. Meanwhile, Health Minister K Sudhakar has announced that Karnataka completed 100 per cent coverage of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination. Karnataka is the first state in the country to achieve this feat (4 crore adult population). Kudos to all health workers and district administration on this stellar achievement, he said. The state has achieved 85 per cent vaccination of the second dose.

Karnataka CM says Netaji's statue to be relocated to the front of Vidhana Soudha

Netaji birth anniversary Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's statue should be located at a place where it is seen standing and leading everyone. PTI Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday, January 23, said the statue of towering freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be shifted in front of the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. The statue of Netaji, which presently is located behind the Vidhana Soudha near the western gate should be shifted to a suitable spot befitting the honour he deserved....Netaji's next birth anniversary would be celebrated in front of Vidhana Soudha, Bommai told reporters after paying floral tributes to the late leader. He believed that Bose's statue should be located at a place where it is seen standing and leading everyone. Remembering Bose as the fearless son of India, who built a force for freedom and fuelled it with his fiery nationalistic passion and patriotism, Bommai said his government will ensure his ideals are passed on to the youth of the state by celebrating his life and contributions to the nation.We pledge to pay a year-long tribute to Netaji. His 125th birth anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year. There will be various programmes, debates and exhibitions in all schools and colleges of the state to take his vision and values to our future generations, the CM said. Books and articles on Netaji in various languages would be printed in Kannada and distributed to our youth. The Chief Minister vowed to positively respond to the demands of various organisations dedicated to taking Netaji's vision ahead. The defunct Flying School at Jakkur in the city would be reopened on the occasion and various programmes for the empowerment of the youth would be announced, Bommai said. India is celebrating the birth anniversary of Subhaschandra Bose as 'Prakram Diwas' (Day of Valour), who had raised the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) to fight against the mighty colonial British government in India.

Karnataka govt suspends mandatory Kannada for UG students - Times of India

Karnataka govt suspends mandatory Kannada for UG students Times of India

Karnataka reports 50,112 new Covid-19 cases

Karnataka on Sunday reported the highest-ever single-day spike in Covid-19 cases 50,210 surpassing the second-wave peak of 50,112 and pushed active cases beyond the 3.5-lakh mark for the first time since May 2021.

Karnataka: 100% of target population get first dose

Late on Saturday, Karnataka achieved a vaccination milestone inoculating 100% of the eligible population with one dose against Covid-19. The state has given two doses to more than 85% and the drive to cover teenagers (15-18 years) and administering precautionary doses to seniors is also progressing at a good pace.

State breaks second wave record, logs 50,210 cases

Omicron wave marked by high transmissibility and low mortality.

Four years later, Tamil teacher yet to get any salary

K Thanalakshmi is yet to get even a single months salary at the Tagore Memorial High School in Yeshwanthpur.

Beware the IT refunds call, Bengaluru woman falls prey to phishing

Cyber scamsters have a brand new scheme with which to trick gullible netizens: callers offer to help with the deposit of income tax refund into taxpayers accounts.

Apartment residents say pollution norms flouted, KSPCB says no

The residents allege that untreated sewage water is being directed to nearby waterbodies, while dirty water is being pumped to be reused to flush toilets.

Rising pig numbers irk Bellandur residents

RWAs of the locality cite the absence of a proper drainage network to be at the core of the problem.

Restaurateurs talkingbusiness with lifting weekend curfew

With the lifting of the night curfew, the weekend saw some brisk business, a welcome relief for restaurateurs and store owners who cheered the move.

Karnataka reports 50,210 new Covid-19 cases

Karnataka reported 50,210 new Covid-19 cases, of which 26,299 were from the state's capital Bengaluru, health minister K Sudhakar informed on Sunday.

Karnataka Reports Over 50,000 Covid-19 Cases for 2nd Time After May 2021

On May 5, 2021, the state had reported 50,112 infections.

Campus Front of India condemns Karnataka govt to establish Sanskrit University - The Siasat Daily

Campus Front of India condemns Karnataka govt to establish Sanskrit University The Siasat Daily

Two-wheeler riders wearing non-ISI helmets to be fined 500

Enforcement will begin in a month after an awareness drive

COVID-19 hits workforce strength in MSMEs

Some units staring at 100% loss as they have only one person to handle one function

Debt-ridden Bengaluru engineer robs bank of Rs 85 lakh, arrested by police

Crime According to police officials, the 28-year-old decided to rob the bank after a failed investment of around Rs 35 lakh in a US-based trading company. Prajwal Bhat Image: By arrangement Desperate to come out of a debt trap of around Rs 35 lakh due to online trading, a 28-year-old techie allegedly robbed a bank of Rs 85.38 lakh at knife-point but was eventually caught, Bengaluru police said on Saturday, January 22. Dheeraj Sampangi, a mechanical engineering graduate from Basaveshwaranagar in the city, had allegedly stormed into the State Bank of India branch at BTM Layout just when the staff was closing the branch on the evening of January 14, Madiwala sub-division ACP Sudhir Hegde told TNM. With his face masked, Dheeraj allegedly held a bank staffer at knife-point and asked the other employees to open the premises. The officials followed his instructions, police officials said. The accused then took them to the strong room of the bank where he got Rs 3,76,200 in cash and 1800 gm of gold loaded in his bag, according to the police officials.He decided to rob the bank after a failed investment in a US-based trading company Olymp Trade. He had invested around Rs 34 lakh and he had used up his salary, his family's gold, and borrowed money from friends to try and pay it back, Sudhir Hegde told TNM. Police were finally able to crack the case and caught him on the evening of January 18. Upon interrogation, Dheeraj revealed that he worked in a software company and earned a monthly salary of Rs 30,000. According to the police, he planned the bank heist to pay back friends, he had borrowed money from. He also allegedly watched YouTube videos of bank heists and surveyed many banks in Bengaluru and in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, before zeroing in on the SBI branch in BTM Layout. Police said he surveyed banks in south Bengaluru areas, particularly ones that were at a distance from his residence. Police officials tracked down Dheeraj through CCTV footage from the bank and from the bus terminals in Banashankari and Majestic. We started going door-to-door to his friends, who he had borrowed money from, but we missed him by a small time frame each time. But one of his friends told us he had borrowed his car and that clue helped us track him down, ACP Sudhir Hegde said.There were only two more friends he had to return the money he had borrowed to and we caught him when he approached one of them, Sudhir Hegde said. (With PTI inputs)

'Netaji's statue to be relocated to Vidhana Soudha front side'

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said the statue of towering freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose will be shifted in front of the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

Citizen-led surveys show poor state of footpaths across Bengaluru

Civic These surveys were released by non-profit organisation Janaagraha to educate residents regarding the BBMPs Rs 60 lakh allocation to ward committees to be used to fix potholes and footpaths. Soumya Chatterjee Image for representation Out of five wards surveyed in Bengaluru, Varthur is the least pedestrian-friendly area with no footpaths to speak of and Banaswadi is the most conducive to walking, even though many of the pavements are encroached upon. These are just some of the findings from a number of small-scale surveys conducted across the city. Carried out by non-profit organisation Janaagraha, not-for-profit organisation Jana Urban Space Foundation and urban living lab Sensing Local, these surveys have highlighted various issues with regard to accessibility and safety of pavements and the urgent need to address these problems to ensure the well-being of pedestrians in the city. The details of the surveys were released on Saturday, January 22, during a webinar organised by Janaagraha to educate residents regarding the BBMPs Rs 60 lakh allocation to ward committees to encourage participatory governance. The money is to be spent equally on filling potholes, maintaining borewells and fixing footpaths in respective wards. Five wards were surveyed and given a score out of 100, based on broad parameters with regards to footpaths accessibility, connectivity, safety and comfort of paved footpaths on both sides of the road. Varthur ward scored 0 out of 100 for the 2.4 km of road/pavements surveyed. The area is divided into two stretches Balagere main road and Dommasandra main road and has no pavements for the safe movement of pedestrians. Moreover, the surveyed road segments have no pedestrian crossings, lack adequate lighting and have zero amenities like garbage bins and benches on either side of the road. In comparison, Banaswadi scored 26/100 for the 9.5 km of roads surveyed in stretches. But even while scoring the highest among the areas surveyed, it still has a long way to go to be pedestrian-friendly. Only 21% of Dodda Banaswadi road, 7th, 8th and 9th main road and the 2nd cross road in Banaswadi have footpaths. And even these have uneven surfaces and some form of encroachments. Notably, none of the footpaths are accessible to people with physical disabilities. The other three wards surveyed were Gottigere, which received a score of 17/100 for a total of 8.9 km of road surveyed, Sanjay Nagara at 2/100 for the 3.45 km surveyed and RK Nagara scored 10/100 for the 2.69 km surveyed. These surveys were shared as a model during an online webinar organised on Saturday by Janaagraha to encourage residents of other wards to replicate such exercises to see the status of footbaths in their neighbourhood. During the discussion, it came up that while in many wards the Rs 60 lakh was being drawn and used by the members of the ward in the spirit of participatory governance, in many others the ward nodal officers were not cooperative. Introduced by BBMP Commissioner Gaurav Gupta in the 2021 Karnataka Budget in August, Rs 60 lakh has been earmarked for each ward to be used to better the footpaths and roads and to promote participatory democracy in urban local governance. Although in law since 1992 as part of the 74th Amendment of the Constitution, ward committees were institutionalised only recently with the intervention of the High Court. Thulasi Maddineni, IAS officer and BBMP Special Commissioner (Finance), who was instrumental in introducing this initiative, had said, After we received citizen budget inputs through the My City My Budget campaign we wanted to incentivise citizens to participate in their ward affairs by giving them a chance to decide. Citizens are the biggest stakeholders in ward development and maintenance. Citizens need to continuously engage with their urban local bodies to ensure ward development. However, she could not be reached for a comment on how many wards have seen this participatory democracy in action. So far, participatory democracy in urban areas has been restricted to academic discussion and wishful thinking by citizens according to Srinivas Alavilli, Head, Civic Participation, Janaagraha. However, today we heard from so many citizens how they worked together in their own ward committees and made concrete plans on how to use the Rs 60 lakh funds allocated to them. It is heartening to see active citizens from across India join this discussion. The BBMP is making great strides in institutionalising citizen participation by conducting ward committee meetings and allocating funds to ward committees and Im confident that this is a great beginning. We urge more citizens to get involved locally and taste the power of community engagement and ownership, he added.

Campus Front of India condemns Karnataka govt to establish Sanskrit University - Devdiscourse

Campus Front of India condemns Karnataka govt to establish Sanskrit University Devdiscourse

Karnataka achieves 100% first dose Covid vaccine coverage: Health minister

Karnataka on Sunday achieved 100 per cent coverage of first dose of Covid vaccine among its eligible population, Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said.

Karnataka achieves 100 pc first dose COVID vaccine coverage: Health minister

We made it! It took us exactly 1 year and 7 days to achieve 100% first dose coverage! Karnataka is the first state in the country (over 4 crore adult population) to achieve this feat! Kudos to all health workers and district administration on this stellar achievement!, Sudhakar tweeted.

Karnataka achieves 100 per cent first dose Covid vaccine coverage: Health minister

He also claimed that Karnataka became the first state in the country to achieve this feat.

B'luru: Passengers welcome map at Metro stns

BMRCL plans to put up such maps at all Metro stations.

Near mid-air collision at Blr: Air traffic controllers who handled flights off-rostered

Aviation Two aircraft departed from the Bengaluru airport within a span of approximately five minutes on the morning of January 9, and a serious mid-air collision was averted at the last minute. TNM Staff Representative Image The three air traffic controllers (ATCO) who had handled the two IndiGo flights that nearly collided at the Kempegowda International Airport of Bengaluru, have been off-rostered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The two flights were cleared to take off simultaneously in the same direction on January 7, 2022. According to the Times of India, the DGCA completed its preliminary inquiry and that strict enforcement action is likely, which could include the suspension of licenses of the ATCOs. A show cause notice will be issued as per the law, and action by multiple agencies may also be likely. As ATCOs are employees of Airports Authority of India, they can also take action and DGCA has oversight over ATCOs as licensing authority. Further, the incident being classified as a serious one, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) will also probe the same, the report said. The incident was not logged in any logbook and it was not reported by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) either. Meanwhile, the DGCA chief Arun Kumar had earlier told PTI that the regulator was investigating the incident and that it would take the strictest action against those found delinquent. Officials of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that the two IndiGo planes 6E455 (Bengaluru to Kolkata) and 6E246 (Bengaluru to Bhubaneswar) were involved in 'breach of separation' at Bengaluru airport. Breach of separation happens when two aircraft cross the minimum mandatory vertical or horizontal distance in an airspace. In its preliminary report, the DGCA had earlier said: Later shift Incharge (WSO) decided for single runway operations i.e. North runway for arrival and departure. South runway was closed but it was not communicated to South Tower controller. South Tower controller gave departure to '6E 455' and at the same time North Tower controller gave departure to '6E 246' without coordination, the report said. Both aircraft departed from the Bengaluru airport within a span of approximately five minutes on the morning of January 7. As per reports, the flights had reached a height of 3,000 feet before a radar controller noticed the error and alerted the pilots, who swerved in opposite directions to avoid a collision.As both aircraft, after departure, were on converging heading or moving towards each other, the approach radar controller gave diverging heading and avoided mid-air collision. With PTI inputs

Ktaka hijab row triggers debate on religious practices in educational institutes

Bengaluru:The issue of wearing a hijab (head covering worn in public by Muslim women) to the colleges along with the uniform has sparked a debate in Karnataka over religious practices impacting the education system in the state. The matter has also snowballed into a controversy on whether the hijab could be considered as part of Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Sandalwood drugs case: HC quashes proceedings against Viren Khanna

Sandalwood drugs case Event manager and socialite Viren Khanna was accused in two drug cases. TNM Staff The Karnataka High Court has quashed proceedings against Viren Khanna, a Delhi-based event manager and socialite, in two drug cases and underlined procedural lapses by the Bengaluru police who lodged the cases against him. Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar, while giving the order on Friday, noted not only the FIR, but also the charge sheet against the petitioner needs to be quashed. Khanna claimed that he was implicated as accused number 5 in FIR no 508/2018, in connection with seizure of narcotics on November 2, 2018. K+hanna also maintained that he was implicated as accused number 4 based on statements of another accused Ravishankar in FIR number 109/2020 registered in Cottonpet police station. His counsel argued that two alleged incidents constitute distinct offenses and police should have registered separate FIR's. The bench stated, whenever the police come across past crimes, they can file separate cases and charge sheets if all offenses cannot be treated jointly as per CrPC Section 219. It further noted that one FIR would suffice for offenses allegedly committed in 2015, 2018 and 2019. According to the charge sheet, the last date of petitioner's involvement was on March 8, 2020 in a party arranged at a five-star hotel. It doesn't disclose his involvement in any offense committed after that and therefore, it is not understandable as to how petitioner could have been arraigned as accused number 3 in FIR number 109/2020. Not only the FIR, but also the charge sheet against the petitioner should be quashed, the bench observed. The petitioner's counsel highlighted the procedural lapse. The bench also stated that though this petition is allowed, it should not be understood that the petitioner can't be prosecuted without following the procedures established by law. The bench also stated that permission is accorded to the prosecution agency to set right all procedural mistakes and take action against the petitioner in accordance with law. Viren Khanna, a party organiser, was taken into custody by the Central Crime Branch. Viren Khannas organisation, VKP, collaborated with hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, to help promote parties organised at these establishments. The CCB alleged that Viren Khanna procured drugs from a Senegalese drug peddler and distributed it to those who attended his parties. He also founded the Bangalore Expats Club, an exclusive group for expats in Bengaluru whose members he personally vets before allowing them to join. With IANS inputs

Karnataka: Tumakuru farmer sits atop tower for 2 hours demanding road - Times of India

Karnataka: Tumakuru farmer sits atop tower for 2 hours demanding road Times of India

Karnataka HC imposes Rs 50,000 cost on man for filing needless habeas corpus petition - Times of India

Karnataka HC imposes Rs 50,000 cost on man for filing needless habeas corpus petition Times of India

Bengaluru: Debt-ridden engineer robs bank

Having lost around Rs 35 lakh by trading on online platforms and falling into a debt trap, a 28-year-old mechanical engineer decided to rob a bank to make a quick buck.He succeeded in his mission on January 14 when he walked away with 1.8kg of gold and Rs 3.

K'taka: All-party meet over inter-state water disputes

Bommai held a virtual meeting with the states legal team in Delhi, the advocate general, and technical team of the irrigation department on Saturday to get a status report on the ongoing fights.

B'luru: Plans drawn up as deadline to spend Rs 60L nears

With the March deadline for utilisation of Rs 60 lakh allocated for each of the 198 ward development committees nearing, citizen-led groups are rushing to submit development proposals aimed at giving a facelift to their respective wards.

B'luru: 1.5k electric buses under central scheme

If all goes according to plan, Bengaluru will get 1,500 electric buses under the Centres Grand Challenge plan.

Covid: K'taka saw 5% hospitalisation during 3rd wave

The highest number of active cases during the second wave was recorded on May 15, 2021 (over 6 lakh) and during the first wave on October 10, 2020 (1.2 lakh).

Bengaluru's Challaghatta Metro station to be ready by August 2022

On August 29 last year, the Baiyappanahalli-Mysuru Road line expanded its operations by an additional 7.5 km up to Kengeri.

State's decision to stop offline classes in Bengalurutill December 29 evokes mixed reactions

Kalyan Kumar, Bengaluru district secretary of the All India Democratic Students' Organisation said that many students are unable to afford smartphones or laptops for online classes.

Bengaluru girl starts campaign for newborn screening programme

16-year-old Shreya Thotastarted a petition to appeal to the Ministry of Health to implement the programme to potentially improve and save the lives of around 2.5 lakh children.

National Coalition on the Education Emergency urges government to reopen schools in Bengaluru

The National Coalition on the Education Emergency feels that closure of schools will have catastrophic consequences on children.

CM Basavaraj Bommai to reopenBengaluru's Jakkur Aerodrome on Sunday

A release from the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports said that renovation and other development work at the school had stopped four years ago.

Former PM HD Devegowda tests positive for coronavirus, admitted to hospital

COVID-19 Devegowdas vital parameters are within normal limits and he has been responding to treatment, a medical bulletin from Manipal Hospital said. Inputs PTI File Photo/PTI Former Prime Minister HD Devegowda has tested positive for the coronavirus-19, sources close to him said. He has tested positive for COVID-19 but he is asymptomatic. However, he is admitted to Manipal Hospital, the sources told PTI. The Janata Dal (Secular) chief chose to get admitted to hospital as a precaution, the sources added. The sources further said Devegowda's wife Chennamma is negative for coronavirus and is at home. A medical bulletin from Manipal Hospital said, The Honorable Ex-Prime Minister of India Shri H D Deve Gowda was admitted on 21st January 2022 and has been clinically stable since then. His vital parameters are within normal limits and he has been responding to treatment. He is comfortable and attending to his activities from his room. He continues to be closely monitored by our expert specialists. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has wished Devegowda a speedy recovery. I wish former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda a speedy recovery from coronavirus infection and to continue his work as usual, Bommai tweeted. Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar too prayed for the speedy recovery of Devegowda. He further said he is in touch with the doctors treating the former Prime Minister and getting updates about his health. Devegowda had previously contracted COVID-19 in March 2021, and was admitted to Manipal Hospital at the time too. Both Devegowda and his wife Chennamma were admitted to the hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus. Recently in January, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai also announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. The Chief Minister took to social media and said that he was experiencing mild symptoms. Earlier in 2020, senior political leaders in the state including Siddaramaiah, BS Yediyurappa and DK Shivakumar had tested positive for the coronavirus in 2020. They recovered from the infection and returned to work in about two weeks.

Bengaluru schoolteacher who left her family to take up job working without pay for four years

A Dhananjayan, president, Karnataka Tamil School and College Teachers Association, who is running from pillar to post to help her, charges that palms have to be greased in the education department

Row over funds to Sanskrit University near Bengaluru: Kannada activists demand rollback

Education The Karnataka government has reportedly allotted 100 acres of land and Rs 359 crore for the construction of the Sanskrit University building. TNM Staff PTI Karnataka governments decision to grant Rs 359 cr for a Sanskrit University near Bengaluru has angered Kannada activists in the state. For the last few days, those opposing the move have accused the BJP-led government of ignoring the state language and its development while promoting Sanskrit. The Sanskrit University is proposed to be built in Thippasandra village in Magadi, in the outskirts of Bengaluru. The government has reportedly allotted 100 acres of land and Rs 359 crore for the construction of the University building. While plans for the university were first proposed when BJP was in power in 2011, the funds were allotted in early January 2022. A total of 14 Sanskrit colleges in Karnataka are affiliated with the University and currently, with no building of its own, the University is opening out of Sri Chamarajendra Sanskrit College. Meanwhile, the Kannada University in Hampi is struggling financially. According to news reports, the university has not admitted any new students in the last three years. The universitys Vice-Chancellor SC Ramesh has said that the cash crunch is so severe that they have not been able to pay the guest lecturers for the last six months; since it has no colleges affiliated to it, it has no other income source. He has reportedly written to the state government seeking Rs 24 crore funds. The Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK), too, has been functioning in a debilitated state. The centre that was set up in 2011 is yet to be allotted a building to function out of. With no permanent building in place, the centre was moved into the Mysore University campus and is functioning with limited staff. In protest, Kannada activists started a Twitter campaign with the hashtag #SayNoToSanskrit. There is a context to our protest, says Ganesh Chetan of Banavasi Balaga, an organisation working for promotion of Kannada. An affiliate of the RSS called the Samskrita Bharati petitioned the High Court asking for removal of mandatory Kannada for graduation students. When there is such a blatant anti-Kannada move, we wanted to campaign against the language they want to impose, he says. On August 7, 2021, the state government made Kannada subject compulsory for students in graduation courses, though learning of Kannada is not compulsory under the latest National Education Policy. A petition was filed by Samskrita Bharati challenging this, arguing that this is against Articles 14, 19, 21, 29 and 30 of the Constitution. Ganesh and other Kannada activists allege that all attempts are being made to close down the Kannada University. They are not giving any funds. They would not have done this without the approval of RSS. The BJP governments promotion of Kannada is just event management, Ganesh Chetan adds. Prathap Kanagal, the social media head of Janata Dal (Secular) too has been vocal against granting funds for the Sanskrit University. We are opposing the new Sanskrit University campus and not the university which already exists in Chamarajpet of Bengaluru; we are not opposing the Sanskrit language. Our opposition is to the new campus for which 300+ crores and over 100 acres of forest and fertile agricultural land have been allotted, at a time when the state government has failed to allocate funds to the lone Kannada University in Hampi. The government has also failed to pay monthly a Rs 4000 per month honorarium to Tulu teachers at the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Prathap says. Echoing the anger Ganesh and other Kannada activists have expressed against the petition filed by Samskruta Bharati, Prathap says, One of the main reasons we all are angry and disappointed is the fact that, the organization directly linked to Sanskrit University had approached the court against making Kannada compulsory in degree courses. Our question is, why should the Karnataka government fund so much money to those who are backstabbing Kannada? If the state government doesn't stop this project, we will stage statewide agitations after this pandemic situation gets slightly better, says Prathap. Not just Kannada activists, even the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) Chairman, TS Nagabharana has said that this move shows the Karnataka governments priorities. While saying that KDA is not opposed to Sanskrit, he has said that the government seems to be sidelining Kannada, be it through neglecting the Kannada University or by lack of implementation of Kannada in the administration. KDA is a state government run body for the promotion of Kannada. Despite the furore, the state government has shown no indication of withdrawing the plans to develop the Sanskrit University. Minister for Higher Education Ashwath Narayan has said that the state will go ahead with the plan, even as he denied the allegations that the state government has been neglecting Kannada.

Bengaluru metro revises timings after Karnataka lifts weekend curfew

Public Transport Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the operational hours of metro trains were cut down by the BMRCL. TNM Staff Image for representation/PTI With the weekend curfew in Karnataka being withdrawn by the state government on Friday, January 21, the restrictions on Bengaluru metro timings have also been eased. Starting from Saturday, January 22, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will operate its metro trains from 5 am to 11 pm on all days of the week, and from 7 am to 11 pm on Sundays. Earlier, the operational hours of metro trains were cut down due to the restrictions on movement of people and weekend curfew imposed in the state to curb COVID-19 cases. The weekend curfew in Karnataka had been in place from 10 pm on Fridays till 5 am on Mondays. The decision to lift the weekend curfew was taken at an expert committee meeting on January 21. Announcing the lifting of the weekend curfew, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka said on Friday, January 21 that it could be imposed again if hospitalisations rise above 5% of COVID-19 cases. He said that the night curfew and the 50% occupancy rule will continue to be in place. Several politicians in the state, including from within the ruling BJP, had called for the restrictions to be lifted for economic reasons. Earlier in January, in view of COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the state government, the BMRCL had changed the operational timings of Bengaluru metro to run on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 9 pm.The frequency of the trains was also reduced to 20 minutes during the weekend. From Monday to Thursday, train services were available from 5 am to 11 pm, with the frequency reduced during the last hour. On Fridays, metro services were available only till 10 pm. A few days later, the BMRCL also limited the number of people allowed in metro trains and stations at a time, with only as many people as the number of seats available in each metro train allowed to wait inside stations. These guidelines were implemented from January 12. The frequency of trains on Saturdays and Sundays was also further reduced from 20 minutes to 30 minutes due to the weekend curfew.

Shivamogga sees first KFD case after 2 years

Amid mounting fears over the havoc the third wave of Covid-19 may have caused across the state, an old problem has reared its head again in Shivamogga. A 57-year-old woman in Kudige village of Thirthahalli has been admitted to the taluk hospital with Kyasanur Forest Disease, the first case since 2019.

NRAI thanks Karnataka CM for lifting weekend curfew

Bengaluru:National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has thanked Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai for lifting the weekend curfew in Karnataka and hearing the concerns of the restaurant industry. Mukesh Tolani, Head of NRAI Bengaluru Chapter said: On behalf of the Industry, I profusely thank Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai for lifting the weekend curfew in Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

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Dont put teachers on Covid duty: Karnataka association - Times of India

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Decision to reopen Bengaluru schools to be taken on Jan 29: Karnataka govt

COVID-19 The Karnataka government decided to lift the weekend curfew in place across the state as long as the hospitalisation rate is below 5%, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said. Agencies Image for representation The Karnataka government will take a call on reopening of schools in Bengaluru on January 29, Education Minister BC Nagesh said on Friday, January 21, after a meeting with the COVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee. Talking to reporters, he said that barring Bengaluru, schools will continue to operate across the state.We are considering one school as a unit. Assistant commissioners, district health officers and the tehsildars will take a call on closure of schools in other parts of the state. If fewer COVID-19 cases are reported, that particular school will be closed for three days, if the numbers are more, the school will be closed for seven days, he explained. As far as Bengaluru is concerned, since the positivity rate is higher, the decision on reopening of schools will be made on January 29. However, the positivity rate among children in the age group of 6 to 15 years is less in the state, he said.Among the 5,33,104 students in the age group of 6 to 15 years who tested for the coronavirus, the positivity rate is 5.94%. Six districts have a positivity rate of 9% or more and in 13 districts, it is less than 5%. Bengaluru Urban has a positivity rate of 14.12%, while it is 8.84% for Bengaluru Rural, he stated. On Friday, after the meeting, the Karnataka government decided to lift the weekend curfew that was in place with an aim to control the spread of COVID-19 infections. The weekend curfew on Saturday and Sunday is being lifted. This decision has been taken based on the experts' report and subject to conditions. Now, the rate of hospitalisation is about 5%. In case it increases, we will re-impose the weekend curfew, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said. Read: Karnataka lifts weekend curfew, night curfew to continue

Ktaka to take call on reopening schools in Bluru on Jan 29

Ktaka to take call on reopening schools in Bluru on Jan 29 Bengaluru: The Karnataka government will take a call on reopening of schools in Bengaluru on January 29, Education Minister B.C. Nagesh said on Friday after attending a high-level committee meeting in the city. Talking to reporters, he said that barring Bengaluru, schools [] The post Ktaka to take call on reopening schools in Bluru on Jan 29 appeared first on Mangalorean.com .