Karnataka

IT Raid

The man had reportedly bought the house paying Rs 1.6 crores in cash, making officials suspicious.

Officials of the Income Tax Department sent a notice to a Bengaluru auto rickshaw driver after they received a tip off that he had bought a posh villa worth Rs 1.6 crore. The auto driver, Subramani bought the villa in the city’s Whitefield area and Income Tax officials questioned him on Wednesday. According to I-T sources, Subramani, bought a villa in a gated community – Jatti Dwarkamai Villas located in Whitefield, by paying Rs 1.6 crores in cash last year. I-T sources said that the complainant had alleged that Subramani may have stashed away money in benami accounts as he had never filed tax returns. Income Tax officials, however, said that no search and seizure operation was conducted and that they did not seize any cash from Subramani’s home. “We only wanted to know how he obtained the house. So a notice was issued to him with questions about how he procured the money to buy the property and so on,” the source said. Sources say that Subramani received the money to buy the villa from an old woman in Bengaluru. “She was struggling to get a cab or rickshaw on a rainy day, I dropped her home that day. I also dropped her back home on another occasion. Since then, we had an agreement that she would pay me to drop her and pick her up whenever she needed transportation. We became friends and when she heard that my family and I were struggling financially, she offered to buy us a house,” Subramani said. Subramani also stated that whenever the woman visited Bengaluru, she stayed at the villa in Whitefield as his guest. Income Tax officials told TNM that Subramani has furnished proof for all his financial transactions and that he has no money stashed away in benami accounts. The Income Tax Department had on April 16 this year sent notices to Jatti Engineering Pvt Ltd, the company that constructed the villa. The sleuths had requested the company to furnish copies of the ledgers pertaining to the sale of the villa to Subramani. Preliminary investigations by the I-T department, however, has revealed that he is associated with a few politicians, including general secretary of State BJP and Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali, reported The Hindu. The MLA has gone on record to deny links with Subramani. “No case has been registered against Subramani. We had issued the notice under Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. We are still probing other angles in the case and also looking into whether the woman gave him the money,” the source added.

Body 2:

Civic Issues

BMRCL has barricaded the area and placed all the construction equipment on the playground leaving no place for children to play.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has acquired another playground for the construction of Namma Metro’s Red Line. The Featherlight Pottery Town Government High school playground has been taken over by the BMRCL for the construction of the underground railway track that will fall between Dairy Circle and Nagawara. The high school playground is used by children to play sports and various tournaments, cultural and religious meetings are also held at the ground from time to time. The BMRCL has now put up a banner in front of the ground which reads “BMRCL work in progress, unauthorised person’s entry restricted.” The area has been barricaded and construction material has also been brought to the ground. According to TOI, BMRCL has said that acquiring the already existing open spaces will help them in minimizing the acquisition of private land and speed up the construction work. BMRCL also said using playgrounds to store the construction materials will reduce the traffic that may be caused if it is placed elsewhere. A survey conducted by Janagraha has revealed that only 3 per cent of the total area in Bengaluru has parks and open spaces. Earlier, a technical training centre for the hearing impaired, BBMP Higher Primary School in Tasker town and a school for children with learning and cognitive disabilities were taken over by the BMRCL. Social and environmental activist, Arun Prasad stated that the decisions taken by the BMRCL are affecting the environment and the heritage of the city. “The measures taken by the state government must be eco-friendly, public friendly and sustainable. The anti-citizen behaviour of the BMRCL must be met with severe consequences,” he said. Previously too, the BMRCL has been at the receiving end of criticism and faced protest for changing the locations of two metro stations in the second phase of Bengaluru Metro project. The Red Line is a part of Phase 2 of the Namma Metro project.

Body 2:

Civic Issues

Bengaluru needs 4,200 auto tippers to meet the daily demand for garbage collection, but official suspect garbage contractors are not deploying all of them in order to cut costs.

Theja Ram

Representation Photo

For the last two months, residents in several wards in Bengaluru have been facing a 'stinky problem'– the garbage collection auto tippers have not been coming to collect their daily waste. Several residents have complained of garbage piling up on the roads. In several areas like Bellandur, Ramammurthy Nagar, Kammanahalli, New Thippadandra and parts of Yeshwanthpur, civic activists allege that the civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has not deployed enough auto tippers. And in several areas, the pourakarmikas, the sanitation workers, are being forced to collect waste from the residents. "In many wards, garbage collection is not happening properly, no matter how many complaints are lodged with BBMP. The contractors are not deploying the right number of auto tippers. The autos that come to collect waste too have a maximum capacity to carry 500 kg of garbage only. That's why residents are dumping it on roads," says Ramprasad, convenor of Friends of Lakes. According to the Assistant Executive Engineer of CV Raman Nagar, the area has only 22 auto tippers, when the area requires twice as much. The problem in the ward has escalated so much that the people have ended up dumping garbage on the main roads. Speaking to TNM, Rukmini*, a pourakarmika in ward number 112, said that the supervisors have forced them to collect the garbage from residents and dump it directly into the compactors that transport the waste to landfills. Renuka*, another pourakarmika in New Thippadandra, says that the supervisor Muthyalu had directed them to collect waste daily from the residential areas and dump it in one auto which then dumps the waste into compactors."Some residents have too much garbage and our carts cannot accommodate that much. So we tell them to dump it in the autos. But many of them have one or two months of garbage piled up in their houses because autos do not come to collect the waste every day," Renuka added. Vishvesh Rao, a 51-year-old resident of CV Raman Nagar, says that the garbage collection autos rarely come to his locality to collect garbage. "The residents in my area are dumping the garbage near SG Palya. For some of us, who are not comfortable doing so, we have garbage bags piling up in our compound. Once in two weeks, when we find the time and if we see a compactor, we end up dumping the waste there," Vishvesh says. Speaking to TNM, a senior BBMP official says that Bengaluru needs 4,200 auto tippers to meet the daily demand of garbage collection, however, the officials now suspect that garbage contractors are deploying 2,000-odd tippers only in order to cut costs."We have 4,200 registered auto tippers according to our billing records. We pay Rs 15,000 per month for each tipper. Based on the numerous complaints we have received, we suspect that contractors are not deploying all of them in order to cut costs. But they are billing us for all the autos," the official said. BBMP Special Commissioner Randeep says that pourakarmikas are only deployed to clean the streets and not collect garbage from residents."Auto tippers must come every day and collect the wet waste. Dry waste can be collected once in two days," he added. Special Commissioner Randeep also said since Wednesday, all contractors have been given Radio Frequency Identity cards as a first step to counter the problem."The contractors have to scan the cards allotted to each vehicle and that will register with the BBMP. It's like taking attendance," he added. He also said that tenders for providing GPS systems in auto tippers will be called for in a few days. "Within the next two months, all auto tippers will have GPS systems. This is step two to ensure that the contractors are deploying the right number of auto tippers," he added.

Body 2:

Obituary

Among the noteworthy Sandalwood films Hiarannaiah acted in include ‘Lancha Samarajya’, ‘Niranthara’, ‘Operation Antha’.

TNM Staff

Noted theatre artiste, Sandalwood actor, satirist and TV actor Hirannaiah passed away in Bengaluru on Thursday. Known to his peers as Master Hirannaiah, the veteran actor was admitted to BGS Hospital in Bengaluru four days ago. However, he did not respond to treatment and passed away on Thursday morning. He was 84 years old and is survived by his wife and son. Born in Mysuru on February 15, 1934, Hirannaiah is one of the most well-known Kannada theatre personalities. His father, K Hirannaiah too was a director of Kannada plays and had his own theatre company – K Hirannaiah Mitra Mandali. Since his early days, Master Hirannaiah took part in plays in school and college. However, after his father’s death, he took over the management of the theatre company. He shot to fame after playing the lead role in the play Lanchavatara. His other famous plays include Double Thaali, Kanya Daana, Sanyasi Samsara, Chamachavathara, Haasyadalli Ulta Palta, Kapil Mushti, Nadubidi Narayana, Bhrashtachara and Anaachaara. His stint in the Kannada theatre industry also fetched him multiple awards for his contribution. Master Hirannaiah has won the Kannada State Award in 1984, Rajyotsava Prashasthi, Gubbi Veeranna Award in 1988, Drama Academy Award, Sandesha Arts Award in 2009 and Maha Advaithi Award in 2017 among others. Master Hirannaiah has also acted in several noteworthy Sandalwood films including Lancha Samarajya, Niranthara, Operation Antha, Hudgeeru Saar Hudgeeru, Yaksha and Gaja.

Body 2:

Environment

Activists argue that relocating the monkeys would be akin to killing them.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational Image

More and more monkeys are entering Bengaluru in search of food, affecting residents living apartment complexes in newer parts of the city. The monkey's movement into city limits is likely the result of Bengaluru’s continued expansion into the outskirts, coupled with depletion of vegetation and encroachment into surrounding forest lands. The problem is especially rampant during the summer months in newly-developed parts of the city. Lakshmi Dutta, who lives in an apartment complex on Sarjapura Road, said, that for one month, they were terrorised by a single monkey. “It would scare children, enter our apartments, create a ruckus and make a mess everywhere.” Panicked by the sudden invasion, residents of these localities have called on the BBMP and the Forest Department to relocate the animals into forest areas. The flurry of calls has prompted the state Forest Department to allow the relocation under Section 11(1-A) of the Wildlife Protection Act, which deals with norms related to translocating, killing or injuring wild animals. Speaking on this, Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru, said, “Although there are hardly any reports of violence from the monkeys, the department has got calls from many localities. So we will allow relocation by trained professionals in the presence of department officials. The monkeys usually feed on piles of vegetable waste and garbage.” “We are making efforts to ensure that no animal is harmed during relocation,” he added. But animal rights activists in Bengaluru have opposed the relocation tactic. They argue that these monkeys are not harmful and relocating them will have a grave affect on them. Wildlife activist Arun Prasad said, “Today’s problem is the result of neglect shown by authorities. Encroachment into forest lands and the unregulated chopping of trees has not been checked for years. Relocating the monkeys is akin to killing them as they are territorial and will fight with other groups over their relocated land.” “These routes taken by the monkeys have remained the same over the years, unlike the haphazard development of our cities. It is not that monkeys come and attack people or stay in populated areas for long. Due to development, there are hardly any guava or jackfruit trees left in the city. Monkeys have nothing to feed on, so they scurry through garbage piles in residential areas,” he added. A letter from Arun and others activists has been submitted to the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Subhash K Malkhede to prevent the relocation. Vijay Nishanth, an eco-conservationist based in the city, said, “These areas where the problem is prevalent used to be forest land. There is no way other than to co-survive. The Forest Department should be the responsible authority as they know how to deal with the situation.”

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has demanded that action be taken against the Congress rebels.

Theja Ram

A feud has once again erupted between the Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka, after a video of Congress leaders having dinner with independent candidate Sumalatha went viral on Wednesday. JD(S) insiders say that Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was furious with the Congress and allegedly demanded that the party take action against rebels. In a video that went viral on Wednesday, Congress leaders Cheluvarayaswamy, HC Balakrishna, Ravi Ganiga and Malavalli Shivanna, were seen having dinner with independent candidate from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambareesh. Sumalatha is up against Congress-JD(S) candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is the son of HD Kumaraswamy. Several Congress leaders had openly supported Sumalatha, due to the decades-long rivalry the party had with JD(S) and because of their loyalty to her late husband Ambareesh. With the video doing the rounds, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is said to have held talks with KC Venugopal, the Congress leader in-charge of Karnataka. “Kumaraswamy wants the high command to take action against the rebel leaders as he believes that they worked against his son Nikhil during the election campaign,” the JD(S) source said. Speaking to the media, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao stated that the party could not simply suspend its leaders without any proof that they were indulging in anti-party activities. “Just because they were seen having dinner does not prove that they were working against the party. We will conduct an investigation and if there was any foul play, we will take action," he said. Dinesh Gundu Rao also turned the tables on the JD(S) and asked what action it was taking against its party members who worked against the alliance. "It is true that the JD(S) did not support us in Kolar and Mysuru segments owing to certain differences. GT Devegowda has said that the JD(S) supported the BJP candidate in Mysuru. JD(S) has not yet given any clarity on what action they will take in this regard,” Dinesh Gundu Rao said. Congress sources, however, say that former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was livid at GT Devegowdá's statement. Party insiders say that Siddaramaiah held a telephonic conversation with Chief Minister Kumaraswamy and demanded that Primary Education Minister GT Devegowda and Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh, JD(S) leaders in-charge of Mysuru for the Lok Sabha polls, must be dropped from the cabinet after the results are announced. The fresh feud has resulted in speculation that the coalition government may fall after the Lok Sabha poll results are out. “Siddaramaiah has warned that if action is not taken against GT Devegowda and Sa Ra Mahesh, the coalition government may be at risk. Kumaraswamy has also asked Congress high command to take action. Both of them are fighting about rebels and Siddaramaiah has instructed party leaders to not take any action against anyone till counting is over,” the source added.

Body 2:

Elections

17 candidates are in the fray for the Chincholi (SC) seat in Kalaburagi district and 8 for the Kundagol seat in Dharwad.

IANS

A total of 25 candidates, including four women, are in the fray for the two assembly bye-elections in Karnataka on May 19, an official said on Thursday."After the last day of withdrawals today (Thursday), 17 candidates are in the fray for the Chincholi (SC) seat in Kalaburagi district and 8 for the Kundagol seat in Dharwad," the official said. Prominent among the candidates for Chincholi are Avinash Umesh Jadhav of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Subhash V Rathod of the Congress and Gautam Bomnalli of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Avinash is the son of Umesh Jadhav, whose resignation from the seat necessitated the bye-election. Jadhav senior quit the Congress and joined the BJP in early March. He had contested the Gulbarga (SC) constituency against Congress leader in the outgoing Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. Besides the three main contestants, 11 Independents, including two women, are in the race along with three others. In the Kundagol contest, Kusumavati Channabasappa is contesting from the Congress against S.I. Chikkanagoudar of the BJP. The remaining six, including a woman, are Independents. The seat was held by state Minister C.S. Shivalli, whose death on March 22 necessitated the bye-poll. The Congress has fielded his widow. A three-time legislator, Chikkanagoudar lost to Shivalli by a margin of 633 votes in the May 2018 Assembly elections. He is also related to BJP's state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa, who will campaign for him. Congress Legislative Party leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state unit President Dinesh Gundu Rao will campaign for Kusumavati. Vote count is on May 23 along with that of 28 Lok Sabha seats for which polling was held in two phases on April 18 and April 23.

Body 2:

Crime

According to the police, the suspect said he killed the two on April 30, after they repeatedly disregarded his warning to pass through his land to reach their property.

TNM Staff

Two days after the bodies of a mother-daughter duo were found at a coffee estate in Kodagu, the police have arrested Dileep, a resident of Somwarpet, in connection with their brutal murder. According to the police, the suspect has admitted that he killed 45-year-old woman Kavitha and her 17-year-old daughter Jagashree on April 30 after they repeatedly disregarded his warning not walk through his land to reach their property. Police have said that on Tuesday, Dileep waylaid the mother-daughter duo when they were walking towards to their land. Following an argument, Dileep killed them with a sharp-edged tool (used for cultivation), the police said. Also read: Kodagu shocker: Mother-daughter duo found brutally murdered in coffee estate The incident came to light after Kavitha's son was unable to contact his mother and sister on Tuesday, prompting a search operation for the duo. They were found murdered inside their family-owned coffee estate in Doddamalte village. According to police officials investigating the case, Kavita's husband had died a few years ago and Kavita and her daughter were cultivating in the agricultural land that was left behind. Jagashree, a student of St Philomena College in Hassan, had come home for her summer holidays and was helping out her mother in the estate when the incident occurred. The neighbours of the two women had earlier told the police that they had a dispute with Dileep, a nearby resident over crossing the pathway through his property to reach their land. He had allegedly threatened to assault them if they passed through his property again. Police officials were informed of the dispute and began investigating whether this issue was related to the crime. Police questioned three persons, including Dileep, and eventually, Dileep allegedly confessed to killing the duo. With inputs from www.storyinfinity.com (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP).

Body 2:

Drug Racket

Two persons, who were part of a Chennai-based international drug racket, have been arrested.

Soumya Chatterjee

In a major drug bust in Bengaluru by the Narcotics Control Bureau, more than 50 kg of ketamine, which is also used as a ‘date rape’ drug, was seized following the arrest of two men. The sleuths also discovered a clandestine lab with manufacturing facilities of the drug in the city. Based on further investigation, the NCB has also started probe of a similar underground facility in Hyderabad, run by the same group. The duo is part of a drug trafficking network based in Chennai linked to southeast Asian countries and Australia. They have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Investigators have also seized an oven box and one cash counting machine, among other things. Sources said the total drug seized could be worth Rs 40 lakh. The drug bust involved a concerted effort for the last three days by the NCB team. The first move was made on Tuesday evening at 8.30pm in Majestic when 26.75 kg of ketamine was seized near Movie Land Theatre from a 33-year-old Chennai man identified as J Kannan during handing over of the consignment. Meanwhile, the “supplier”, later identified as Shivraj Urs fled the scene on his sedan. J Kannan and Shivaraj Urs were arrested in connection with the drug racket It was Shivaraj who ran his own lab on the ground floor and garage of his house in Kengeri. "The drug was kept in one poly gunny bag of rice and kept inside a trolley bag. Seeing the NCB team, both the receiver and the supplier of the drug tried to flee. The receiver who hails from Chennai was caught along with the drug, while the supplier of the drug fled in his Corolla Vehicle No. KA-03 MD 7250. When he was asked to stop his vehicle, he also tried to mow down the NCB officials,” a release by the NCB said on Thursday. Later, the officials traced and intercepted him in Yelahanka at 10am. “Upon interrogation, it was revealed that he has one house at Kengeri and one at Vidyanagar, Bangalore. It was also revealed that he was manufacturing ketamine from his house at Kengeri. On the night of 30th April - 02nd May, his house located in Kengeri was searched in his presence. A clandestine lab with manufacturing facilities of the drug was found in the basement of his house.” the release added. Sources said the consignment was about to be transported to Malaysia, which is a major market. A source said, “Urs did not have any qualification, he had just learned to do it. He was working for a Chennai based group which was sending it all to Malaysia.” The drug bust operation was carried out with the help of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Body 2:

Human interest

They have distributed close to 6,000 pads since the group’s inception.

Anusha N Bhat

For over two years, a teacher based in Mangaluru has been leading a group of students in manufacturing affordable sanitary pads for low-income groups. Prameela Rao, a faculty member at Government College in the city, says they have distributed close to 6,000 pads since inception in Gurupur, Bajpe, Surathkal and Dandeli and other rural areas in and around the Dakshina Kannada district. Prameela has created a volunteer group of young students, mostly boys, to learn and understand the production of sanitary pads. Under the group’s trust, ‘Kalpa,’ they have also tied up with New Delhi-based Goonj Foundation, where volunteers have been trained in the production of sanitary pads since 2014. Through the work, Prameela hopes to educate her students on menstruation and menstrual health, as well as dispel common misconceptions. “Similar to extending aid to any other health condition, it is important that every boy or man, must be aware of the menstruation cycle. It’ll help them to understand and help their mother, sister, wife as well as daughter and develop a sense of empathy towards women in general” she said. Prameela has also worked extensively to create awareness on unhygienic practices around menstruation in rural areas and among economically-backward communities. In 2017, the group raised a trust called ‘Kalpa’ which focused on reaching out to underprivileged sections of society. Process of making pads “Initially, we wash the cotton fabrics and sterilise them, then we cut it into 8 by 9 inches and iron them. Then, we fill it with the medicinal cotton, along with other bedding of the same size and stitch it from all sides,” Prameela said. According to the group, after the successful production of pads, it is packed and labelled under ‘Swastya.’ The pads are then distributed in rural areas by the student initiative. If sold, a sanitary packet of 10 will cost Rs. 60. The group is working towards a manufacturing goal of around 20,000 pads. The pads are made by the student volunteers using sterilised cotton cloth and medical cotton under hygienic conditions. “We are also examining the use of alternative, environmental-friendly and decomposable materials or fabric that can be used to manufacture sanitary pads,” Prameela said. Street Plays The Kalpa Trust also conducts street plays on how menstruation is an important part of a woman's life and the kind of care that should be taken by them. Pranav Shetty, who works at a local college, writes scripts for the plays. The group notes that just like television, newspaper and radio are effective methods of communication, street plays are a cost-effective way of making an impact as well. The team has performed street plays in Mangaluru and outside the city. The plays are written in tandem with the folklore of the local region. Sujatha, a resident of a Koraga colony, said that the group, along with Prameela, visit residential areas every month. “There is a kind of hesitation among women to speak or raise concerns on subject of menstruation. The volunteers not only give us advice on the subject, but also distribute ‘Swastya’ sanitary pads. Several women use it, and it is comfortable,” she said. Content provided by www.storyinfinity.com (Subs and Scribes Media Ventures LLP).

Body 2:

Welfare

The anganwadi has been surviving on the goodwill of the nearby houses and a trader who allow them to take water and electricity respectively.

Soumya Chatterjee

From outside, the anganwadi in Homegowda Nagar by the Bannerghatta Road in Bengaluru doesn’t really cut a sorry figure. When this reporter visited, the anganwadi was filled with the chatter of the children playing. The walls both inside and outside were painted in bright blue and green. Framed photos of Mahatma Gandhi and BR Ambedkar hung inside, and sacks and boxes of rice and other food supplies were stood stacked by one wall. The preschool facility, which has been around for over 15 years, caters to 15 children from a nearby low-income settlement just behind the building. However, the rosy exterior is marred by the lack of basic facilities in this anganwadi – there’s no electricity, and even though there is a toilet, there’s no running water – because the authorities have not paid the electricity bill for three years and pass the buck when it comes to taking responsibility. Speaking to TNM, Meera, an anganwadi worker at the centre, says that they rely on the goodwill of the nearby homes from whom she carries a few buckets of water for the day’s use at the anganwadi. The Indian style toilet was revamped about a year ago as part of a CSR initiative. And while there are taps in the toilet, the only water available for use is from the three buckets Meera has placed inside. Inside the anaganwadi, while there is a tubelight and a fan, there is no active electricity connection. Thankfully, a nearby trader has allowed for the centre to take electricity from his establishment so that a tubelight and fan can be used. Arun Prasad, a social activist working in the area, has followed up with authorities over the issue numerous times over the past year, only to see no result on the ground. “This is 2019. Authorities need to make sure that these basic needs are met. Is this neglect because these people are poor and they don’t have a voice?” he questions. Speaking with TNM, an official from the Women and Child Welfare Department in the know of the situation said the root of the problem lies with BESCOM cutting power supply after the local corporator stopped paying power bills three years ago. “Even though the CSR activity provided a new pump, there's no running water as there is no power. The pending bill had gone up to Rs 10,000,” the official said. When TNM contacted D Chandrappa, corporator of Hombegowda Nagar, he denied responsibility saying that the state government should foot the bill, not the BBMP. Upon learning of the incident, BBMP Special Commissioner Randeep D said that he will resolve the issue. Started as part of the Integrated Child Development Scheme in 1978 by the union government, anganwadis guarantee nutrition, basic healthcare and immunisation programmes for children under the age of six across India. Over the years, the scope of anganwadis has expanded to include other functions too. In some states like Karnataka, anganwadis also provide midday meals to pregnant women from economically weak backgrounds as part of a state government scheme.

Body 2:

Crime

The CID sleuths on Thursday questioned several students and faculty members of the engineering college, where the woman studied.

Theja Ram

The CID team probing the mysterious death of a 23-year-old engineering student is now pursuing several leads and are also probing the possibility that the woman may have committed suicide. The woman’s body was found hanging from a tree on the outskirts of Karnataka’s Raichur, after she went missing on April 13. After photos of her decomposed body went viral on social media, students from her college had alleged that the woman did not commit suicide but may have been murdered. On Thursday, the investigators procured footage from the CCTV camera outside the victim’s house. The victim’s parents have alleged that four men, who are allegedly Sudarshan Yadav’s relatives, would conduct recces outside their house and look out for the victim. The CID is currently in possession of the footage and the investigators are looking out for the four men, who they believe are currently absconding. “The four men were always roaming around outside the victim’s house. We are looking for them now. So far, we are probing the case by looking at it as a suicide. We are in the process of gathering more evidence. If the evidence leads us to conclude that it is a murder, only then we can declare it,” the source added. CID sources, however, say that they are also probing the suspicion that she committed suicide. The CID sleuths on Thursday questioned several students and faculty members of the engineering college, where the victim studied. “We have found that the woman had backlogs in various subjects in four semesters. She had cleared her backlogs in the fifth semester. However, she would have taken two more years to complete her engineering course. We are probing to see whether she took her own life as she had so many backlogs,” a CID source said. Investigators are also probing to see whether the victim’s former boyfriend, Sudarshan Yadav, who is currently in judicial custody, was in any way responsible for the woman’s death. CID sources said that while Sudarshan was in their custody for nine days, they took him to several places to gather CCTV footage. “These were places that Sudarshan and the victim frequented whilst they were in a relationship. They had also been to Mantralaya in Andhra Pradesh. We have footage of them from there. We found that the woman had broken off with Sudarshan two months before she died. He would constantly call her and beg her to get back to him. We want to know if he had any role in her death,” the source added.

Body 2:

Missing

The fishing boat with seven fishermen on-board had left the coast of Goa on December 13 and last made contact on the morning of December 16 around 1 am.

Prajwal Bhat

Suvarna Tribhuja Boat

More than four months after the disappearance of Suvarna Tribhuja, a fishing boat from Udupi, the Indian Navy has found the wreckage of the boat. The seven fishermen who were on board are currently missing. The Navy confirmed that the lengthy search operation for the missing boat, which had left for a deep-sea fishing expedition off the coast of Goa, ended after the wreckage of the vessel was discovered 33 km west-south-west (WSW) off the coast of Malvan in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. The wreckage was found by INS Nireekshak, a diving support vessel of the Indian Navy, through side scan sonar operations. The wreckage was confirmed by naval divers who dove to a depth of 60 metres. Missing Fishing Boat Wreck Found by #IndianNavy - After an intensive search by ships & aircraft since December 2018, #IndianNavy has located the wreck of fishing vessel Suvarna Tribhuja 33 km WSW of the coast of Malvan. The wreck was found by #INSNireekshak on 01 May 19. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/23ZVJ3XfxZ— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 2, 2019 The fishing boat with seven fishermen on-board had left the coast of Goa on December 13. It had last made contact with six other boats from Udupi, which were also fishing off the coast of Goa, on the morning of December 16 around 1 am. Protest held in Udupi in January over the plight of the missing fishermen After this, the boat and fishermen were unreachable. The men on-board were Chandrashekar, who owns the boat, along with six other fishermen – Damodar (40) from Malpe, Lakshman (45), Sathish (35), Ravi (27), Harish (28), and Ramesh (30) from Bhatkal. The Indian Navy and police officials in Udupi did not comment about the recovery of any persons on-board. "We have made contact with the naval base in Karwar about the possibility of anyone on-board found with the wreckage. We are yet to receive a confirmation about this," said Udupi Superintendent of Police (SP) Nisha James. Ten members of the families of the fishermen also assisted the Indian navy in the search for the ship. "We made repeated visits along with the Indian Navy to search for the ship near Sindhudurg. We found three canisters from the ship in December but there was no further trace of the ship," said Nithyananda, brother of the boat-owner Chandrashekhar. Nithyananda was also part of the latest team to search for the ship this week. Read: 25 days and counting: Families of 7 Udupi fishermen live in hope of finding them In January. thousands of fishermen protested in Udupi urging authorities to intensify the search for the boat. The plight of the missing fishermen was also highlighted by several politicians who visited the Malpe fishing harbour including Home Minister MB Patil, Udupi District Minister-in-charge Jayamala and MLA Raghupathi Bhat. Read: Thousands protest to highlight plight of 7 K’taka fishermen missing at sea for 22 days

Body 2:

Railways

Four trains have been cancelled, and four others partially cancelled until the end of May due to yard remodeling.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

Three Bengaluru suburban trains and one long-distance train from Bengaluru to Vijayawada have been cancelled starting from Saturday until the end of the month due to yard remodelling work at Baiyyappanahalli.Four other trains will also be partially cancelled because of the work. Railway officials said Train No 56503 / 56504 Bengaluru Cantonment – Vijayawada – Bengaluru Cantonment Passenger will be cancelled from Saturday, May 4. The suburban trains 06571/06572 and 06573/06574 Banaswadi – Hosur – Banaswadi Passenger trains will also not run for the same period of time. Besides this, Train No 06577/06578 Whitefield - Banaswadi – Whitefield Passenger will also stand cancelled. Krishna Prasad, a railway enthusiast and activist, said, “The overhaul work is necessary and will facilitate faster movement of trains and possible increase of frequency of trains once the project is completed. The Vijayawada train is the most important among those cancelled, as many poor people use the train daily to commute from places like Doddabalapura and beyond. Maybe the Railways could have run this train till Krishnarajapuram or even Yehalanka rather than cancelling it.” Officials at the SWR refused to comment on the cancellations. Partial cancellations Train No. 56262 KSR Bengaluru– Arakkonam Passenger commencing journey from May 4 onwards stands partially cancelled between Jolarpettai – Arakkonam until further advice and train will run between KSR Bengaluru – Jolarpettai with MEMU rake, officials said. Similarly, Arakkonam – KSR Bengaluru Passenger commencing journey on May 5 onwards will be partially cancelled between Arakkonam – Jolarpettai and the train will run between Jolarpettai – KSR Bengaluru with MEMU rake. Train No 08301 Sambalpur – Banaswadi Express commencing journey on May 8, 15, 19, 22 and May 29 will be partially cancelled between Krishnarajapuram – Banaswadi. Accordingly, this train will terminate at Krishnarajapuram. Banaswadi–Sambalpur Express commencing journey on May 9, May 16, May 23 and May 30 will be partially cancelled between Banaswadi- Krishnarajapuram. Accordingly, this train will originate from Krishnarajapuram.

Body 2:

Crime

Karnataka police have taken action against five persons - Hemanth Kumar, Shruti Belakki, Sharada Diamond and Ajith Shetty Heranje - over two separate cases.

Prajwal Bhat

The BJP in Karnataka has termed police action against five of its sympathisers as equal to imposing Emergency in the state. Journalists Mahesh Vikram Hegde and Hemanth Kumar, BJP sympathisers Shruti Belakki, Sharada Diamond and Ajith Shetty Heranje - were either detained or arrested in the past few days over instances of fake news propagated by them. BJP leaders CT Ravi and Shobha Karandlaje were among the party leaders who took to social media to highlight the action against the five persons. CT Ravi alleged that this was the onset of an 'emergency' in Karnataka. BJP leaders and right wing sympathisers even trended the hashtag #EmergencyInKarnataka on Twitter. CONgress - JD (S) Government has brutally murdered Democracy by arresting Nationalists on flimsy reasons. People who attempted to divide Hinduism and Vested Interests who abuse Hindus on a daily basis are roaming free mocking at the Law.#EmergencyInKarnataka — Chowkidar C T Ravi ಸಿ ಟಿ ರವಿ (@CTRavi_BJP) May 3, 2019 #Congress planned Lingayat-Veershaiva split for votes but Journalists&SM activists exposed their conspiracy to the world. For exposing them, govt is brazenly misusing state police to shut the thoughts&FOE of the common man. Undeclared #EmergencyInKarnataka under the Co-Ja Govt. pic.twitter.com/6F9eLaCgXu— Chowkidar Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) May 3, 2019 Dear Karnataka government, random arrest of people in the name of some ridiculed strange act, won't help you. Please focus on governance. And do the needful.#EmergencyInKarnataka— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) May 3, 2019 Mahesh Vikram Hegde, founder of news portal Postcard News, notorious for posting fake stories, was detained by police on April 24 for publishing a fake letter which he claimed had been written by Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil to Sonia Gandhi in 2017. He was later let go after CID officials interrogated him. Shruti, Sharada and Hemanth were arrested for promoting the fake letter that talked about a meeting that a few ministers held with representatives of the “Global Christian Council” and “World Islamic Organisation” regarding the strategy to be adopted for the Karnataka Assembly Elections. (These organisations do not exist). Shruti Belakki, a resident of Dharwad, was first detained by the police for spreading the fake letter. Later, Hemanth Kumar, a Bengaluru-based journalist, and Sharada Diamond, an engineer, were arrested in connection with the same case. Meanwhile, an FIR was filed against Ajith Shetty Heranje and Gangadhar, the proprietor of UKsuddi.in news portal, for publishing photoshopped images of HD Kumaraswamy and his wife Radhika Kumaraswamy. The news portal Uksuddi.in published a story claiming that the duo were at a resort in Udupi. A complaint was lodged by Dinesh, the media secretary of the CM at High Grounds police station in Bengaluru. Dinesh stated that CM Kumaraswamy had in fact gone to Kaup in Udupi district for two days for naturopathy treatment."Gangadhar published the false write-up with the photoshopped image while Ajith shared it on social media. We have arrested these two persons," confirmed a police official at High Grounds police station. The duo were charged under sections 468 (forgery), 471 (using forged document as genuine), 474 (having possession of document known to be forged) 509 (insulting modesty of a woman), of the IPC.

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

Cheluvarayaswamy and 4 other local Cong leaders from Mandya were seen having dinner along with independent candidate from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambareesh on April 30.

Theja Ram

Fissures between the Congress and JD(S) in Karnataka seem to have widened after a Congress leader from Mandya’s Nagamangala, Cheluvarayaswamy, met with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday. Cheluvarayaswamy and four other local Congress leaders from Mandya were seen having dinner at Capitol Hotel in Bengaluru along with independent candidate from Mandya, Sumalatha Ambareesh, on April 30. The CCTV footage of the dinner party went viral on Wednesday, after which both Congress and JD(S) leaders spoke out against each other. The internal feud resulted in KPCC President Dinesh Gundu Rao questioning Cheluvarayaswamy and his followers on Friday, as to why they were part of the dinner party with Sumalatha. Congress insiders say that during the dialogue with Gundu Rao, Cheluvarayaswamy maintained that he had not indulged in anti-party activities, as he was against the JD(S) before the coalition was formed and that he was not willing to change his stance. “He asked Dinesh Gundu Rao whether CM Kumaraswamy and the JD(S) leaders would help the Congress grow in Mandya, or if it was the duty of Congress leaders to do so. He also posed several questions to the KPCC chief, and said that the JD(S) is its primary rival in the region and that he had refrained from offering his support to Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil during the Lok Sabha campaign as he is answerable to the party workers in Mandya,” the source said. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Cheluvarayaswamy said that he had attended the dinner party of a friend and that he was not aware of Sumalatha being invited. He maintained that he had not indulged in anti-party activities as he had attended a party that took place after the election was over. “Vote counting is on May 23. There are no elections happening here. Just because I had dinner with friends does not mean I am working against the party,” he said. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies and Minority Affairs, Zameer Ahmed Khan came to Cheluvarayaswamy’s rescue and stated that Congress leaders had not taken part in Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s election campaign in Mandya as CM Kumaraswamy had not approached them for help. “During the bye-elections, Kumaraswamy had held a meeting with all Congress leaders from Mandya and had personally asked for their support. This time, the JD(S) felt that they had enough influence in Mandya. If they had asked for support, the leaders would have given it,” Zameer Ahmed Khan said. Cheluvarayaswamy and Zameer Ahmed Khan were formerly with the JD(S). However, in 2016 Zameer Ahmed and Cheluvarayaswamy along with four other JD(S) MLAs, defected to the Congress as they felt they were being sidelined by party supremo HD Deve Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy. Ever since the defection, Cheluvarayaswamy has been a vocal supporter of former CM Siddaramaiah and has on multiple occasions spoken against Deve Gowda and his family members. Congress insiders say that offering his support to Kumaraswamy’s son would have been a bitter pill for Cheluvaraswamy to swallow, and hence, he refrained from campaigning for Nikhil Kumaraswamy in Mandya. “Kumaraswamy has been trying to sabotage the political career of all the MLAs who had defected from JD(S) and joined Congress. Cheluvaraswamy has openly spoken out against Kumaraswamy and his son Nikhil during the Lok Sabha election campaign. It was only after Siddaramaiah told him to refrain from making such comments did he stop. Besides, several of his followers had openly supported Sumalatha and Kumaraswamy wanted him to pay. Now JD(S) is demanding that Cheluvaraswamy be suspended from the party and Siddaramaiah is not ready to take that step,” the source added.

Body 2:

Infrastructure

BESCOM and BBMP have started the drive to remove the overhanging optical fibre cables across the city.

Rohit R.

After repeated complaints from residents over the safety risks posed by overhead cables, the BBMP has finally begun removing the optical fibre cables (OFC) in Bellandur, Sarjapur Main Road and other areas in the Mahadevapura Zone during last week of April. Citizens in the area had been complaining about cables being hung in a haphazard manner on trees and electric poles. Despite the safety concerns being raised in ward meetings since November 2018, no action was taken by the authorities. Bellandur Development Forum, a residents’ body then lodged a complaint with the local police who filed an FIR against the telecom operators. Vishnu, one of the coordinators of the Bellandur Development Forum says, “We have failed to look at this issue from a pedestrian’s point of view. All the cables are being tied up in a haphazard way as they dangle from poles, trees and footpaths making it difficult to walk. It still isn’t over, as there is no concrete solution in sight for this problem.” However, the sudden drive is affecting internet services of major technology companies in the area like Uber, Wipro and PayPal. The Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) — an association of telecom companies, has issued a statement that the cutting of OFC without prior intimation to the providers would lead to outages and cause inconvenience to the users. The statement added that the BBMP is treating all the overground cables as unauthorised even though necessary permissions have been obtained. The statement said they were forced to lay them overhead as they were removed accidentally during works carried out by the civic agencies. The COAI is also blaming the BBMP for affecting mobile phone towers across the city due to the drive. Because of the internet outage, holidays were declared for offices in IT Parks where the services were affected. However, the residents aren’t complaining. “I think that everyone is ready to suffer for the cause. So, let it get sorted once and for all”, said a resident. Due to the enormity of the work to be done, the work has been confined to a few areas for now. Lack of personnel due to the Model Code of Conduct being in place, has also slowed the pace of work. Careless work done by the telecom operators in digging up the roads to lay the underground cables and substandard patchwork have been a cause of concern for motorists in the area. The residents have demanded good infrastructure and the implementation of a structured cabling network in the roads where underground cables are not feasible. The residents also hope that there is a timeline for these issues to be resolved. Utility services like BESCOM and BBMP have already started the drive across the city. Speaking to TNM, Shikha C, the managing director of BESCOM said that the required action is taken on a regular basis and the cables are being removed across the city.

Body 2:

Crime

Another accused was also arrested while the kingpin of the racket is absconding.

TNM Staff

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Police in Bengaluru have arrested two Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) workers for allegedly being part of a fake currency racket on Friday. The accused have been identified as Nanja Gowda, who is employed as a driver with the state-run bus corporation and Somanagouda who is a driver-cum-conductor. Both the accused were reporting to Depot No 4 in Jayanagar. BMTC Public Relations Officer Deepak said that the duo have been suspended and a departmental enquiry will be carried out alongside investigations by the city police. The duo were allegedly part of a counterfeit currency ring and were found in possession of fake currency amounting to Rs 81.30 lakh in new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes. Another accomplice, a photographer from Channarayapatna, was also arrested, while the fourth accused and reported head of the racket, is absconding. Somanagouda was allegedly conned into becoming a part of the racket. According to the police, one accused (yet to be apprehended) Ramakrishna was running a counterfeit currency business and would dupe people by promising to double their money. Somanagouda had initially fallen for this and had given money to Ramakrishna which was doubled and returned to him. Following this, he sold his land in his native village and had given an amount of Rs 7.8 lakh to Ramakrishna awaiting a doubled return. When he did not get the amount back, he began worrying and was inducted into the counterfeit racket when he approached Ramakrishna about his money. Somanagouda then recruited Nanja Gouda who then pulled in Kiran, a photographer, for his photoshop skills. Yelahanka police have formed another team to find Ramakrishna, who they suspect is running a statewide counterfeit network.

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

The BJP, however, has opposed the decision of the EC stating that this may have repercussions at a later point.

TNM Staff

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A number of developmental and infrastructure projects were put on hold in the state of Karnataka in view of the Election Commission imposing the model code of conduct ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. On Friday, the Election Commission stated that the projects may continue and has opted to relax the model code of conduct. However, the EC made it clear that no elected representative should be involved in any aspect of any project’s process. A screening committee led by the Chief Secretary is to take all the important decisions regarding the projects instead. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opposed the decision of the EC stating that this decision may have repercussions at a later point. Former Karnataka Chief Minister and State BJP President, BS Yeddyurappa expressed his displeasure with the EC’s current decision. “My gut feeling is, in this transition period when the general elections are in progress, the decisions taken by the state government will amount to violation of the model code of conduct, leading to various irregularities,” he said. Another senior BJP leader, R Ashoka, legislator and coordinator of the party’s campaign in the state, said that he fears that the money from contractors may be misappropriated and used to fund polls. While the BJP leaders have opposed the decision, several contractors have shown their support for the move. In light of the Election Commission’s latest decision, the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) has begun to plan for the construction of a seven-floor Grameena Abhivrudhi Bhavana on Friday and has expressed its desire to invite submissions of architectural designs for the project. Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka were held in two phases – the first on April 18 and the second on April 23. Results to the elections will be declared on May 23.

Body 2:

Crime

In many cases of bonded labour, an FIR is not registered and the other cases almost never reach the court.

Theja Ram

Over a week ago, 32-year-old Jyothi, her 15-day-old son and two of her daughters were rescued from bonded labour in Bengaluru. Jyothi’s family had to run from pillar to post just to file a complaint with the local police and finally, on Monday, they met with Deputy Commissioner of Police Rahul Kumar and submitted a complaint. The DCP directed the jurisdictional KG Halli Police to register an FIR. However, when Jyothi went to the police station to file a complaint, the building contractor Jaysilla, who is accused of enslaving Jyothi and her family members was also present at the station. “The police mediated a settlement between Jyothi and Jaysilla. Both parties agreed that a case would not be registered and that Jaysilla would not threaten or bother Jyothi. The social worker Habeebullah, who rescued them has promised to keep an eye on Jaysilla,” said Kalimullah, a social worker, who had taken Jyothi to Bowring Hospital, on April 26, the night she was assaulted by Jaysilla’s goons. Read: Chased and assaulted by goons at night, victims of bonded labour rescued in Bengaluru Why FIRs are rarely registered in bonded labour cases Sources in the KG Halli Police station say that the Inspector convinced Jyothi that going through legal procedures would be tedious and that it would be better for her to settle the case outside of court. Speaking to TNM, Shantanu Dutta, Spokesperson for the National Coalition to Eradicate Bonded Labour and Human Trafficking says that in many cases of bonded labour, an FIR is not registered and the other cases almost never reach the court. “The FIR is not filed for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it may be because the police officials see bonded labour cases as those of labour violations. They are not made aware of how to investigate such cases as they do not know what the law says. Secondly, in most cases, the person enslaving the victims have connections and they persuade the police to mediate and settle the matter, like in Jyothi’s case,” he said. Another reason, Shantanu maintains is that the victims constantly migrate and the police do not want to go into the trouble of tracking them down during the trial. “The police also convince the victims that going through the trial would take years and that it would drain them financially to pay for the legal proceedings,” he said. Conviction rate in bonded labour cases is drastically low Speaking to TNM, Balan, a public prosecutor practicing in Karnataka for 30 years says that police officers are not trained properly and lack knowledge about the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976. He says that the police do not follow required procedures to gather evidence, which leads to acquittals. In most cases of bonded labour, where FIRs are registered, another issue causes the trial to fall flat – inaccurate chargesheets. Balan says that the police rarely inform the Labour Department or the Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts and obtain a release certificate. “The DC has to give a release certificate and this document is evidence that the victims were in fact victims of bonded labour. The DC has to conduct a preliminary probe before issuing the RC. Most chargesheets do not have this document,” Shantanu says. Another impediment to convictions in cases of bonded labour, he says are the inordinate delays in the legal proceedings. “The chargesheet is filed may be six months or a year after the rescue happens. The police do not look into the trafficking element and track down all the people involved in the nexus of bonded labour. They only arrest the person who enslaved the victims and more often than not, the accused get bail. They do not trace call records or try to connect the dots or procure evidence as to how the victims ended up in such a situation. Lack of evidence always give the accused reasonable doubt and hence leads to acquittals,” he added.

Body 2:

Posh villa owned by an auto driver in Bengaluru comes under Income Tax radar

Bengaluru losing its open spaces as another playground acquired by Namma Metro

Bengaluru needs 4200 auto tippers to collect waste: Does BBMP deploy as many?

Noted Kannada theatre artiste, film actor Master Hirannaiah dies at 84

Monkey issue in Bengaluru, but activists say their relocation isn’t the answer

Video of Sumalatha and Congress leaders sharing a meal out, will coalition survive?

25 candidates in fray for two Karnataka assembly bye-polls on May 19

Man arrested for killing mother-daughter duo at Kodagu coffee estate

International drug racket busted in Bengaluru, NCB seizes 50 kg of ketamine

Mangaluru teacher helps bring menstrual health awareness, sanitary pads to rural areas

Officials' apathy leaves Bengaluru anganwadi without water, electricity for years

Raichur engineering student’s death: CID probes footage of 4 men circling her house

7 Karnataka fishermen still missing as Indian Navy finds wreckage of Udupi boat

Yard overhaul: 3 Bengaluru suburban trains, one long-distance cancelled

Four BJP sympathisers held on fake news cases, party says 'Emergency' in Karnataka

Dinner party fallout: Cong defiant but Kumaraswamy wants action against rebels

Authorities finally wake up to dangling internet cables in Bengaluru, take action

2 BMTC staffers held in connection with fake currency racket, Rs 81 lakh recovered

EC relaxes poll code in K’taka, developmental projects to continue

Bonded labour is a reality in Bengaluru, but conviction rates are abysmally low