Hindu-Muslim wedding: Communal groups call for bandh; several booked

Mangaluru: Starting April 22, 2025, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will strictly enforce separate disposal of sanitary waste, along with existing waste segregation norms. This decision was formally announced by MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Naik on Tuesday (April 15) during a training session at the Town Hall for civic workers.

What’s Changing?
All households and establishments must now segregate waste into the following four categories:
 
Categories of Waste (Effective April 22)
1.    Wet Waste
– Food scraps, vegetable peels, garden waste, etc.

2.    Dry Waste
– Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, glass, metal, etc.

3.    Sanitary Waste (Now mandatory to separate)
– Sanitary pads, baby napkins, adult diapers, medical dressings, etc.

4.    Rejected Waste / Non-Recyclables
– Broken glass, ceramics, unusable plastics, thermocol, etc.

Rules and Penalties
•    Sanitary waste must be placed in a separate bin and must not be mixed with any other waste.
•    Violators will be fined ₹500 for the first offense, with higher fines for repeat violations.
•    Mixing plastic items like tubs and bottles with wet waste will also attract penalties.
“Improper segregation is a serious issue. MCC areas generate 5 to 10 tonnes of sanitary waste daily,” said Commissioner Naik.

MCC’s Awareness Campaign
To help the public understand the new system:
•    MCC will distribute pamphlets and notices this week.
•    These materials will explain the four waste categories and penalty clauses in detail.

QR Code Monitoring Returns
The MCC is also relaunching its QR code-based tracking system to monitor waste collection and staff attendance.

How it works:
•    QR codes are installed at buildings.
•    Civic workers will scan them using a new mobile app.
•    The app will send real-time updates to the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).

Current Status:
•    MCC manages 2.37 lakh properties.
•    90,000 properties in 60 wards already have QR codes installed.
“The new system will help us track both garbage pickup and civic worker attendance more accurately,” said Naik.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday visited the residence of 35-year-old Bharat Bhushan, in Mathikere, Bengaluru, who was shot dead in front of his family by terrorists in Pahalgam and paid his final respects.

Offering condolences on behalf of all Kannadigas to Bharat Bhushan, the Chief Minister said it is extremely unfortunate that a young, well-educated man like him became a victim of a terror strike.

He strongly condemned the attack as a barbaric and inhuman act.

To facilitate the safe return of Kannada-speaking individuals stranded in Kashmir and to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased, Labour Minister Santosh Lad and a team of officials were immediately dispatched. So far, 175 Kannadigas have been safely brought back to the state.

“It is the government’s duty to protect Kannadigas in difficult times,” the CM stated.

The Karnataka government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the Kannadigas who lost their lives in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, he added.

“It is the government’s responsibility to completely eradicate terrorism. Our government extends full support to the Centre in eliminating terrorist activities in the country,” CM Siddaramaiah said.

“Killing innocent people in broad daylight and in front of their families is a heinous crime. Similar to the past Pulwama and Balakot incidents, this is a recurrence. Intelligence failure at the Central level may have contributed to this incident as well,” he observed.

The Chief Minister has directed officials to make necessary arrangements for conducting the final rites of Manjunath Rao and Bharat Bhushan with police honours.

The victims from Karnataka include Bharat Bhushan, Manjunath Rao, and Madhusudan (who had settled in Bengaluru, hailing from Andhra Pradesh). Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy has met Bharat Bhushan’s family in Bengaluru, while Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa met Manjunath Rao’s family in Shivamogga and assured them of support. 

Regarding the terror attack in Kashmir, the Chief Minister said the Central government has already initiated certain measures, and the state government will extend complete support for further steps aimed at eliminating terrorism.

Bharat Bhushan had gone on a Kashmir trip with his wife, Dr Sujata, a paediatrician, and toddler son.

The family stated that the gang of terrorists approached him and asked his name. When Bharat told them his name without any fear. The terrorists then asked him to hand over his son to his wife, Sujata. Later, they had asked him whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim. When Bharat said he was a Hindu, he was shot dead.

Newcastle (Washington) / Mysuru: In a deeply disturbing incident that has shocked both the tech world and local communities in India and the U.S., a Mysuru-based entrepreneur allegedly shot and killed his wife and one of their sons before turning the gun on himself at their residence in Newcastle, Washington. 

The couple’s younger son, aged seven, survived, having stepped out of the house shortly before the tragedy unfolded.

The accused, Harsha Kikkeri (57)—also known as Harshavardhan—was the founder and CEO of HoloWorld, a Mysuru-based robotics company. His wife Shwetha and one of their sons were found dead at the scene along with Harsha, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO). Authorities responded to a 911 call at a townhouse in the 7000 block of 129th Street on Thursday night (U.S. time). Upon arrival, deputies found three bodies and confirmed that the scene posed no further threat to public safety.

While investigators are treating it as a murder-suicide, the exact motive remains unknown. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to release the names or ages of the deceased children. The case remains under active investigation.

A Life of Innovation and Ambition

Hailing from Kikkeri village in Karnataka’s Mandya district, Harsha was an engineering graduate from Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE), Mysuru. He went on to work with Microsoft in the United States, where he was involved in cutting-edge robotics development.

In 2017, Harsha and Shwetha returned to India and co-founded HoloWorld, a robotics startup that soon made headlines for its product HoloSuit—a bi-directional, wireless full-body motion capture suit. Touted as the world’s first of its kind at an affordable price, the suit was designed for applications across healthcare, sports, education, and skill development.

HoloWorld's products were exported to multiple countries, including the US, UK, and Israel. Indian cricket star Yuvraj Singh served as the brand ambassador. Harsha even met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss deploying robotic soldiers along India's borders. As a respected member of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) network, he frequently spoke at tech and innovation forums.

Despite his professional achievements, the recent tragedy has left many in the tech and entrepreneurial communities grappling for answers.

Community in Mourning

Neighbours in the Newcastle suburb described the family as kind, quiet, and largely private.

“We would exchange greetings. I often saw the mother walking her children to school—she was very warm,” said Alex Gumina, President of the local Homeowners Association.

Another neighbour recalled, “She was always smiling, and her younger son was especially affectionate. We’re devastated—this is unimaginable.”

Residents are planning a community gathering over the weekend to honor the family and support the surviving child.

Business Winds Down After Pandemic

HoloWorld’s corporate headquarters in India was located in Vijayanagar Third Stage, Mysuru, specifically housing its division HoloEducation. The company operated actively from 2018 until it scaled down in 2022 amid the pandemic. The premises have since remained vacant.

“I haven’t been in touch with them in years,” said the building owner. “They shut down during COVID, and I only heard about the tragedy yesterday.”

The incident has sent shockwaves through Mysuru’s business circles. Bhaskar Kalale, Chairman of EqualizeRCM India and President of TiE Mysuru Chapter, expressed deep condolences, calling the event “heartbreaking beyond words.”