The Times of India

A Special Court has sentenced Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and 16 others to life imprisonment for the 2016 murder of BJP leader Yogeshgouda Goudar. The court found them guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy. This conviction leads to Kulkarni's immediate disqualification from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.

Karnataka Forest Department has introduced a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for eco-trails, hiking, and trekking following recent incidents. Violators will be blacklisted, and group sizes are capped at 10 trekkers with mandatory trained guides. Overnight stays are prohibited, and all treks must be completed within a single day.

Tragedy struck Yadgir, Karnataka, as a devastating head-on collision between a car and a private bus ignited a fierce blaze, claiming at least six lives. The car's occupants were tragically burnt alive, with two others rescued and hospitalized for severe burns. The accident occurred near Devapur, with the car en route to Raichur and the bus from Bengaluru.

Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founder Amir Hamza was shot at in Lahore after a TV appearance, with assailants escaping on motorcycles. The attack, which bore similarities to a Bollywood film scene, has drawn condemnation from Hafiz Saeed's party, which questioned the Punjab government's security. Hamza, designated a terrorist by the US, previously headed LeT's special campaigns.

A Hindu outfit has urged Bengaluru police to cancel comedian Munawar Faruqui's upcoming show, citing past controversies and potential law and order issues. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti referenced a 2021 case in Indore where Faruqui was accused of hurting religious sentiments and has faced similar complaints and show cancellations in other cities.

Karnataka government faces a setback regarding Bhadra Tiger Reserve. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has clarified that the entire buffer zone must be considered an Eco-Sensitive Zone. This directive halts efforts by local legislators to reduce the buffer, which includes villages and private lands. The move aims to protect wildlife and prevent development restrictions.

Bengaluru region recorded a 98.9% pass rate in the Class 10 CBSE exams, securing third place nationally behind Thiruvananthapuram and Vijayawada. Despite a strong overall performance, mathematics proved challenging for many students, though science and social science scores saw improvements. The introduction of two board exams for Class 10 students led to an earlier than usual results announcement.

A special court in Bengaluru convicted former Congress minister Vinay Kulkarni and 16 others for plotting and executing the murder of BJP worker Yogesh Gowda in 2016. The court found them guilty of murder and conspiracy, with sentencing to be announced Thursday. Kulkarni, who was present in court, broke down upon hearing the verdict.