Mohammed Ismail elected president of DK-Udupi Janajagruti Vedike

Mangaluru: In a tragic case that shocked the city, the principal district and sessions judge Ravindra M Joshi sentenced Sandeep Rathod of Sindagi, Vijayapura, to life imprisonment for the murder of 22-year-old college student Anjana Vashishta.

According to public prosecutor Judith OM Crasta, the gruesome crime occurred on June 7, 2019, when Anjana's body was discovered at Pais Cottage in Attavar. The victim was found with cable wires wrapped around her neck, her head wedged between the cot's rods, painting a chilling picture of her final moments.

Anjana, an MSc student in Ujire, had met Rathod, then 23, through Facebook in July 2018. Rathod, posing as a constable-in-training, developed a relationship with her, even securing a place at the Royal Academy Coaching Centre in Mangaluru. However, things took a dark turn when Anjana informed Rathod that her family had arranged a marriage proposal for her, which she planned to accept.

Devastated by her decision to end their relationship, Rathod called Anjana to his room. In a fit of rage, he strangled her. After the murder, he stole her phone, withdrew Rs 15,000 from her account using her ATM card, and fled to Sindagi, where he stayed at Sangam Lodge.

The Mangaluru South police investigated the case and filed charges under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 380 (theft), and 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property). The court's thorough investigation included testimony from 45 witnesses and the review of 100 documents.

The court ultimately sentenced Rathod to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000. He was also sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for the theft and misappropriation charges, along with fines totaling Rs 1,500. Additionally, the court directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide compensation to Anjana’s parents for their immense loss.

In response to a surge in dengue cases, the Karnataka government has declared dengue an epidemic, laying out specific responsibilities for the public and government agencies, and empowering officials to take necessary actions.

A recent gazette notification announced the amendment of the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Regulations, 2020, now titled the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Regulations, 2024. These updated regulations, effective from August 31, mandate comprehensive measures to prevent mosquito breeding, which is a primary cause of dengue.

The regulations specify that owners, builders, managers, institutions, and occupants of any land, building, household, or public space—such as parks, water tanks, or playgrounds—are responsible for enforcing measures to prevent mosquito breeding. These measures include:

• Covering water storage containers and tanks.
• Proper disposal of solid waste to prevent water accumulation.
• Ensuring that unused tanks, pits, burrows, or buildings under construction do not collect water.

These requirements apply to both private and government-owned properties, as well as semi-government establishments.

Under the amended regulations, the Chief Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in Bengaluru and the Deputy Commissioners of each district outside BBMP jurisdiction have been designated as the competent authorities to oversee the implementation of these measures. They have the authority to inspect properties, issue notices, and enforce compliance to prevent the spread of dengue.

As part of the enforcement, the authorities have the power to inspect lands, buildings, water tanks, parks, playgrounds, and other areas periodically. If they find any collection of water that could serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes, they are authorized to issue notices requiring the responsible parties to eliminate the water and destroy the breeding sites. Failure to comply can result in a penalty of up to Rs 2,000. An additional 50% of the initial penalty may be levied for each week of continued non-compliance after a notice has been served.

In a proactive step, the BBMP and the state health department have launched a pilot study, installing 120 ovitraps in Gopalpura to help curb the spread of dengue.

As of September 2, Karnataka has reported a total of 25,408 dengue cases, resulting in 12 deaths.

Mangaluru: Praveen Chandra Alva, the opposition leader in the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) council, has strongly criticized the BJP-led administration for its inability to address key civic issues over the past four years. 

Alva highlighted several unaddressed concerns, including increased property taxes, discrepancies in water bills, delayed Smart City projects, unfinished market complexes, and stalled development initiatives like the Jalasiri 24x7 drinking water scheme and housing projects.

Speaking to reporters, Alva condemned Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur's leadership, describing his contributions as negligible. Alva further accused the BJP of orchestrating disruptions during the recent council meeting to divert attention from their administrative shortcomings.

"The mayor exhibited a dictatorial attitude by preventing the opposition from speaking during the council meeting. He broke tradition by delivering a speech on his supposed achievements instead of allowing the opposition to use their designated time during zero hour," Alva stated.

He also criticized the mayor for not following the customary practice of inviting opposition leaders and senior corporators to his chamber after the council meeting adjourned.

Alva emphasized the lack of progress on various civic projects under Mayor Shetty’s tenure, pointing out persistent issues such as overflowing underground drains, increased property taxes, and inconsistent water billing. "During the Congress administration, there was no increase in property taxes or water cess. In contrast, the BJP has imposed a heavier financial burden on the people. Despite nearly 5,000 pending applications, not a single house has been allocated to the poor in the past four years," Alva claimed.

When asked about Congress-nominated corporator Kishor Shetty, who was recently booked for throwing stones during a protest against Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, Alva condemned the act but noted that the police filed an FIR against Shetty even under a Congress-led state government.

Corporator AC Vinayaraj added that Kishor Shetty is an accused in the case and will face consequences if proven guilty, suggesting that the BJP is highlighting this issue to deflect from their own failures. Senior corporator Shashidhar Hegde echoed these sentiments, reminding the public that there was no hike in property taxes or water bills during the Congress tenure in the MCC.