BENGALURU: Bengaluru has seen a steady rise in cases registered under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA), from 96 in 2019 to 176 in 2024, with 122 already registered till August this year. Senior police officers attribute this rise to stricter enforcement, though challenges persist on online platforms. According to city police data, 98 cases were registered in 2019, 136 in 2020, 129 in 2021, 155 in 2022, 180 in 2023, 176 in 2024, and 122 till August this year. A senior police officer ex

BENGALURU: The trend of drawing rangolis and putting up green nets after clearing black spots in Bengaluru is back. The clean-up and beautification initiatives targeting identified black spots in the city has seen some acceleration, but do they really help in putting an end to black spots? Experts say nah. An infamous black spot at Siddapuras Tippu Point was cleared by Bengaluru Central City Corporation on Sunday. Post the clearance, pourakarmikas drew rangolis and placed tree pots. At places wh

BENGALURU: With the inclusion of new electric buses to the BMTC fleet, one in five buses operating across the city is now electric. Accordingly, BMTC plans to do away with 2,78,212 kg of carbon emissions per day soon, when the rest of the ordered e-buses come in. Tackling pollution is a key issue behind this move by BMTC to electrify its fleet. Every bus has a shelf life, beyond which it must be scrapped; a great number of diesel buses on the road are heavy polluters, and adding new diesel buses

BENGALURU: A viral video posted by Canadian national Caleb Friesen has sparked not just swift action from civic authorities, but also a wave of citizen appeals urging him to highlight other neglected areas in the city. On Thursday, Caleb recorded his 30 minute, 2.4-km walk from Majestic bus stand to a coffee shop, capturing the broken, and encroached footpaths along the route. The video quickly went viral, drawing sharp attention to pedestrian woes. Within a day, the Greater Bengaluru Authority

BENGALURU: There should be better coordination between Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limied (BMRCL) and South Western Railways for speedy execution of work on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) Namma Metro Phase-2A Blue Line, mobility experts opined. BMRCL sources said they have asked SWR to close the track or divert trains for four hours for four nights on the Salem line to take up the composite girder work. They have also asked SWR to reduce the speed of trains for 30 days. But there has been a dela

BENGALURU: NGO Child Rights and You (CRY) held a walkathon, CRY Walk to EmpowHER, on Sunday. Over 1,400 people gathered at Cubbon Park for the event in order to raise awareness on the difficulties faced by women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The walkathon featured participation from students, professionals, volunteers, social workers, and more. The event held equal opportunity as a key necessity in national progress, while the unfair discrimination fa

BENGALURU: A debt-ridden family of four, including two children, attempted suicide near Gonakanahalli village in Hoskote police station limits on Saturday evening. Three died, while the mother survived. The deceased have been identified as Shivu (32), his daughter Chandrakala (11) and son Uday Surya (7), all of whom were studying in a government school. Shivus wife, Manjula (28,) survived the attempt and is undergoing treatment at the Hoskote Government Hospital. According to police, the couple

BENGALURU: Two men, including a software engineer, died in separate road accidents in the city on Saturday night. In the first incident, a 26-year-old software engineer, Swaroop, a resident of Papareddy Palya, died after he lost control of his speeding two-wheeler and rammed a road divider near Jnanabharathi junction around 11.45 pm. According to Jnanabharathi traffic police, Swaroop was heading home after work when he failed to notice a road hump, lost control and hit the divider. Passersby rus

A historic 77-year-old educational institution, Mount Carmel College (MCC) was one of the citys most iconic womens colleges until last year, when it became co-ed. A year in, the college has made sweeping changes to its dress code, along with other rule modifications, which have not gone down well with students. Once known for its liberal atmosphere and for producing students with a sense of fashion, the college has banned wardrobe essentials, cargo pants to graphic t-shirts, round and V-neck shi

We have seen the end of the world, and we have decided not to accept it. Murrawah Johnson, Indigenous climate activist There is something deeply unsettling and yet profoundly liberating about that sentence. It captures the essence of hope not as wishful thinking or shallow optimism, but as a deliberate refusal to surrender. Hope, in its truest form, is a decision. It is a discipline, a commitment to act even when the odds seem insurmountable. As Paulo Freire reminded us, it is a denunciation o

BENGALURU: India needs start-ups based on deep tech technologies built on scientific breakthroughs with the potential for profound and transformative impacts across industries and society, said Ashutosh Dutt Sharma, CEO, IHFC (I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics), Technology Innovation Hub of IIT Delhi He was speaking after inaugurating the Deep Tech Start-up Summit-2025 organised by Co-innovation Centre and the Department of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence of NMIT. Unless and until deep tech sta

BENGALURU: In a horrific accident, a 45-year-old autorickshaw driver and his 24-year-old daughter were killed on the spot after a speeding lorry ran over several vehicles near Sumanahalli Junction under Kamakshipalya traffic police station limits on Saturday morning. The father-daughter duo was on their way to church. Another biker was injured, while a couple and their minor child travelling in a car narrowly escaped. The deceased Yesu D and his daughter Mariya Jennifer were residents of Harohal

BENGALURU: An 18-year-old delivery boy was kidnapped and murdered for not paying ransom in the city. The deceased was identified as K Deepak Raj, a resident of Annapoorneshwarinagar. The police have arrested the two accused and are on the lookout for the remaining. After kidnapping Raj, the accused called his elder brother, Praveen (20), near Maganahalli Gudde at Maganahalli in Tavarekere area the spot and attacked them for not giving them ransom amount on last Sunday around 11.30 pm. They then

BELAGAVI: A suspected case of food poisoning at the Morarji Desai Residential School for Minorities in Hirekodi village, under the jurisdiction of the Ankali Primary Health Centre in Chikkodi taluk, left 119 students fell ill. Some of them were recovered soon, while officials hospitalised around 77 students who needed treatment. The incident occurred around 9 am on Friday after several students began experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, and fever. The affected students

BENGALURU: Eleven cops, including Chamarajpet police inspector attached to the West Division of Bengaluru City Police, were suspended for allegedly colluding with drug peddlers to sell narcotics under police protection. The officers are accused of working with the peddlers, who were selling narcotics in and around the West Division, and of receiving money in exchange for providing them protection. The peddlers were allegedly paying police officials a commission of around Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2 lakh

BENGALURU: In a move aimed at empowering women and transgender persons, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Chairman and Shantinagar MLA NA Haris on Saturday promised to discuss with the Greater Bengaluru Authority the possibility of providing free autos to those who successfully complete the certified auto-driving training. He was speaking after inaugurating the Free Auto-Driving Training Program for Women and Transgender Persons at the MG Road Metro Station Kala Kendra. The initiative was la

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has permitted students in a batch of petitions who are found to be eligible to complete their studies of the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) Course, subject to the deposit of Rs 3 crore by the colleges they are studying in favour of the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund. A division bench of Justice DK Singh and Justice Venkatesh Naik T passed the order while disposing of the four petitions regarding the issue of admissions. The cour

VIJAYAPURA: When veteran artist Dr Subbayya Neela was invited to join a campaign to spread communal harmony through the ancient but fading art of Islamic calligraphy, he could not hide his delight. For him, the idea was not merely about preserving an art form, but about exploring the potential of art to transcend barriers of faith and culture. I have always believed that art knows no religion or boundaries. Art has the power to touch the hearts of people across communities. That is why, when I w

BENGALURU: Over 1,500 parents in and around Sarjapur, Varthur, Panathur and Bellandur have petitioned the traffic police chief to save their wards from the pain of getting stuck in traffic for two hours every day. This comes after a day after a school bus sank in a ditch near Panathur and 20 students had to be pulled out. The parents have now expressed a grave concern over 15 locations that are infamous for traffic gridlocks and potholes on the stretch. Over 25,000 children bear the brunt of bad

Ever wonder how life, morals, fashion and eating preferences go through a cyclic change. I remember while growing up, fast food, ice cream parlours, pizzas and their ilk were very popular, much to the chagrin of our parents who wanted us to eat home food. Then slowly, other cuisines started becoming the stars of our palates. Eyetalian dishes were as dishy as their people, then Japanese, Peruvian, Bolivian and Mexican! But something that never lost its hold over us was the unique Indo-Chinese cui

BENGALURU: A school bus carrying around 20 children got stuck in a roadside ditch on Balagere-Panathur Road on Friday. The ditch was filled with rainwater and slush, and the front wheel of the vehicle sank into it, tilting the bus on its left in front of Ekya Nava school. Dashcam footage from a car behind shows that the New Horizon Gurukul school bus was trying to overtake another bus from the left when it went off the road and into the ditch. Onlookers and local residents immediately evacuated

BENGALURU: Despite the Fare Fixation Committees recommendation to hike the Metro fare by 51.5%, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) increased the fares by a steep 71%. This disclosure follows BMRCL finally making the committee report public after nearly seven months of withholding it. The report was released after sustained pressure from commuters, elected representatives and RTI applicants. The fare hike, imposed in February, raised ticket prices by as much as 71% and triggered widespr

BENGALURU: Think again before you dump garbage in public and flout the ban on single-use plastic. Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) is considering slapping a fine of Rs 2,000 on repeat offenders. At present, for the first offence, the fine is Rs 500. BSWML has already empowered its staff to impose a minimum penalty of Rs 2,000 during their drive against single-use plastic. BSWML Chief Executive Officer Karee Gowda during a press meet on Friday said that he will consult Chief Commi

BENGALURU: Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Girinath held a meeting with officials of all five new corporations and special commissioners of Greater Bengaluru Authority, and directed them to coordinate with Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) in addressing potholes and waterlogging issues, as these are of primary concern during the monsoon in Bengaluru city. Addressing officials, he said BTP has freshly identified 4,822 potholes across the city, of which 1,861 have been filled. The remaining 2,961 p

Were gonna reach the top, so dont try to stop , Ready to flip the game, dont try to play with us , these lines, delivered with confidence while clad in a saree by all-woman Hip-hop collective Wild Wild Womens rapper JQueen (Jacquilin Lucas), have wormed their way into the ears of 15.5 million people on Instagram since 2024. Since then, for the group, which is set to perform at Maya Bazaar, Jayamahal Palace Grounds, this Sunday, the only way forward has been up. The team recently wrapped up its f

India vs Pakistan matches have long been one of the most anticipated games in cricket, with entire families glued to the TV as the men in blue took on their rivals across the border, wins leading to festival-like celebrations and losses to serious mourning. With India set to face off against Pakistan this Sunday for a shot at the Asia Cup, the citys cricket enthusiasts are buzzing with excitement. I am super excited and planning to watch at home with my whole family. When its an India vs Pakista

BENGALURU: A love triangle led to the murder of a 21-year-old youth in Jayanagar Third Block within the Tilaknagar police station limits on Wednesday night. Police have arrested the accused and detained the woman involved. The deceased, Kiran, was a delivery executive and a resident of Nakalu Bande in Jayanagar. His friend Jeeva, who worked as a sales staff member at a showroom, has been arrested. According to police, Jeeva was in a relationship with Divya, who had recently broken up with him an

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court quashed criminal proceedings against an Indian Air Force (IAF) Officer and a biker, after both of them arrived at a mutual settlement, in connection with a road rage incident on April 21, 2025. The two parties had clashed when the officers wife was going to drop him to a bus stop near Gopalan Mall on Old Madras Road in Bengaluru. Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum quashed proceedings in the crime registered by Wing Commander Shiladitya Boses wife Madhumita Dutta a

BENGALURU: Dr B Dinesh took charge as the director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research on Thursday. Addressing the media, Dr Dinesh said that he will send a proposal to set up Jayadevas satellite centres in all five newly formed corporations. He said that these five satellite centres that can accommodate 100 beds each are much needed for the increasing population of Bengaluru city. The footfall in Jayadeva is increasing by the day. From less than 1,000 walk-ins, it

BENGALURU: To ensure that services of Primary Health Centers under the National Urban Health Mission and the Namma Clinics (Government of Karnataka) continue uninterrupted with new five corporations coming up, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has proposed setting up an Executive Committee (EC) for each of the five corporations. There are nearly 4,000 health staff deployed through National Health Mission (NHM) to provide healthcare for the urban poor, and their allocation to each corporation

BENGALURU: Environmentalists have raised alarm over the state governments proposal to amend the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) Bill-2025 to reduce buffer zones around lakes and rajakaluves and the Urban Development Departments (UDD) recent notification. They warned that such a move will worsen Bengalurus already severe flooding and water management crisis. The proposed amendment seeks to shrink the extent of land kept free from construction around lakes, stormwater

BENGALURU: The 52.8-mm rainfall on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in the city brought down 16 trees and hit traffic at several places in the early morning. As per the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) control room, of the 52 complaints registered with the forest cell, 36 were of tree branch fall incidents. A huge gulmohar tree uprooted at Rajajinagar 4th Block, damaging five cars, a Tata Ace and three two-wheelers parked by the road side. It also damaged a house compound wall an

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has declared the results of the third and final round of UGCET seat allotment for engineering and other UGCET courses. Executive Director H Prasanna said candidates allotted seats must compulsorily join their colleges, as no further choice options will be available. Students who have not yet paid their fees must do so by 2.30 pm on September 13. They must also download the seat confirmation letter by 5.30 pm the same day and report to their a

BENGALURU: NIMHANS marked World Suicide Prevention Day and the first anniversary of its NIMHANS Suicide Prevention, Research, Implementation Training and Engagement Centre (N-SPRITE) on Wednesday. They shared that Karnataka has a high suicide rate of 20.2 per cent, compared to the national average of 12.4 per cent, recording 13,606 suicides in 2022, with Bengaluru ranking third among Indias megacities in the number of suicides. One of N-SPRITEs key projects, Urban Self-Harm Study (USHAS), has be

BENGALURU: Five second-year PU students, along with a private school principal and a hostel warden, have been booked under the the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO)after a Class 10 student alleged ragging, assault and sexual harassment at a private school hostel in Bannerghatta police station limits on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Police said the victim, who had recently been admitted to the hostel, was allegedly ragged for four days by a group of five second PU students sta

MANGALURU: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged Dharmasthala mass burial case revisited Banglegudda on Wednesday for a site inspection (mahazar). According to SIT sources, the revisit was to further document and verify vital evidence, particularly in connection with the skeletal remains recovered from the site recently. The skeletal remains were reportedly discovered at the site identified by Vittal Gowda, a relative of Sowjanya. These remains have been sent for forensic anal

BENGALURU: Despite the Supreme Court recently slamming jail authorities for giving preferential treatment to inmates in the actor Darshan case, and despite several initiatives by the Prison Department to curb illegal activities, a jail warder at Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara has been arrested for smuggling drugs into the facility. The accused, Kalappa H Abachi, was caught with 100 grams of hashish oil worth Rs 1 lakh. He is alleged to have been supplying drugs to inmates. Abachi

BENGALURU: Hundreds of protesters staged a massive demonstration, alleging injustice in internal reservations, at Freedom Park on Wednesday. T he protestors overturned barricades, attempted to march towards Vidhana Soudha, and blocked major roads. During the protest, a woman allegedly tried to end her life by pouring diesel on herself, but was stopped by other protestors. The protestors gave the government a one-week deadline to decide on the internal reservation. Members of various Scheduled Ca

BENGALURU: Observing that Cyber Command Centre (CCC) is not an option, but an imperative born of necessity, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday said that mere establishment of a CCC would not be enough if it remains inert, and is implemented only on paper. The CCC must be robust, people-friendly, deft and iron-handed to handle cyber crimes, and also insulated from external intrusion, the court added. Citing the government order dated April 9, 2025, the court said: This order establishes the CC

BELAGAVI: In a shocking case of premeditated murder, the police have arrested a lawyer and his two accomplices for allegedly killing his six-month pregnant wife and staging it as an accident. The incident took place in Ugar BK village of Chikkodi taluk on Sunday night. The victim was identified as Chaitali Pradeep Kiranagi (23). Her husband, Pradeep Annasab Kiranagi, and accomplices Saddam Akbar Imandar and Rajan Ganapathi Kamble, were arrested. Two other accused are absconding. Superintendent o

BENGALURU: Corporation election fever has begun. Aspirants are becoming super active, trying to woo voters well ahead of the elections to the five corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), which are likely to be held in January or February. Aspirants and their followers are putting up posters, visiting public places, and attending festivals like Ganesha Chaturthi and St. Marys feast. Having grown tired of delays in holding elections, aspirants now believe the polls will happen on

BENGALURU: Taking note of the inconvenience caused by unclaimed vehicles, Bengaluru Central City Commissioner Rajendra Cholan instructed officials to identify unclaimed vehicles and provide a list to the traffic department and get them removed. Speaking after inspecting areas in Shivajinagar assembly constituency on Wednesday he said that the unclaimed and abandoned vehicles that have been parked on the side of the road for a long time are hindering traffic flow. Cholan also inspected Auto Tippe

BENGALURU: The National Green Tribunal started hearings on Bengalurus most talked about Twin Tunnel Road project. At the first hearing on Wednesday, the NGT ruled that notices be served to the Karnataka government, BBMP (now Greater Bengaluru Authority), Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), B-SMILE, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and the project consultants. The petition was filed by Bengaluru Praja Vedike and others two weeks ago, to draw attention to flaws i

Bengaluru, once celebrated in cinema for its gardens, heritage and position as a crossroads of cultures, is finding itself cast in a markedly different light. The city, long associated with technology and opportunity, is increasingly being represented as a drug capital. The latest Malayalam film Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra , that has reportedly crossed 202 crore at the box office (as of Wednesday), drawing large audiences, extends this trend, joining titles such as Bheema , Officer on Duty and Aave

BENGALURU: The government on Tuesday issued an order, stating that residential buildings in areas of up to 1,200 sqft with ground plus two floors or stilt plus 3 floors constructed with the approved plan within the jurisdiction of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will be exempt from obtaining Occupancy Certificate. Every year, plan approval is given to around 4,000 such buildings through an automated online software under the Nambike Map system since last year. Under the project, the draft

BENGALURU: There will no supply of Cauvery water across the city for 60 hours, from September 15 to 17, due to scheduled emergency maintenance works. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) stated that pumping stations under Cauvery Stage V will be temporarily shut down to carry out the works. Similarly, maintenance work will be taken up at Phase-1 and Phase-2 pumping stations of Cauvery Stage I, II, III and IV from 6 am on September 16 till 6 am on September 17. The maintenance wo

BENGALURU: Bengaluru North City Corporation Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar on Tuesday directed engineers to take steps regarding improvement of public infrastructure, road safety and basic amenities. After inspecting Kodigehalli Gate Signal Junction, he instructed officials to start junction widening work to control traffic congestion. He also inspected the road widening work in progress near Ganesh Temple Junction, and ordered its expeditious completion. Kumar told engineers that improvement

BENGALURU: Bengaluru siblings 17-year-old Veruschka Pandey and 20-year-old Vedansh Pandey have secured a patent for a system to recharge groundwater using stormwater drains (SWDs), said to be the first in India. The duos innovation embeds open wells with precision-drilled rings and slotted GI pipes (used for conveying raw water distribution of treated water) to convert rainwater runoff into aquifer recharge, tackling flooding and water scarcity. Growing up in the city, where monsoons flood the

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs assurance that the state government will recommend to the Centre to consider a proposal to name any Metro station in Shivajinagar after St Mary has sparked a debate on social media. Siddaramaiah gave this assurance while participating in St Marys Feast here on Monday. Soon, many citizens took to social media platforms demanding that a station be named after the late actor and director Shankar Nag, who studied the Metro rail network of other countries decad

BENGALURU: Commuters on Namma Metros Yellow Line can expect shorter wait time for trains from Wednesday, as the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) on Tuesday announced the induction of its fourth train set into service. With this addition, trains on the line will now operate at 19-minute intervals, down from the current 25 minutes. Officials said the move will help ease peak-hour congestion and improve passenger convenience. The first train will also begin earlier on weekdays. From Mon