Central team to survey flood-hit Karnataka districts for relief aid

News Network
September 4, 2020

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Bengaluru, Sep 4 : A six-member central team would visit Karnataka on September 7 for three days to survey the flood-hit districts for assessing damage caused by heavy rains and granting relief aid, a minister said on Thursday.

"The team, led by Union Ministry of Home Affairs joint secretary K.V. Pratap will survey the 5 flood-hit districts in the southern, coastal and northwest regions of the state on September 7 to assess the losses for compensation," state Revenue Minister R. Ashoka told reporters here.

The worst-hit districts are Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and Vijayapura.

The state government has compiled a report on the havoc wreaked by incessant rains and flash floods in dozen districts across the southern state.

"The loss is estimated to be about Rs 4,800 crore due to damage to houses, buildings, roads, bridges and state highways by rains and floods in July and August, as the southwest monsoon was active and widespread," said Ashoka.

"The team will also hold talks with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on September 7 after surveying the affected districts," said Ashoka.

On September 8, the team will also visit headquarters of the affected districts for spot assessment of the damage with the officials.

"On September 9, the team will discuss the situation with me and the revenue secretary and other officials for a first-hand account of the assessment," he said.

About 20 people died in heavy rains and flood-related incidents, displaced about 4,000 people and damaged over 7,000 houses, while 1.4 lakh hectares of agricultural land suffered crop loss.

The central government released Rs 395 crore in August for rescue and relief works in the affected districts.

Taking stock of the grim situation in the affected districts, the Chief Minister said at Belagavi on August 25 that he would seek more central funds for relief works and aid to the affected people.

As governance and administrative work has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic since mid-March, the chief minister said the state government would spend on relief works from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) till the Centre releases additional funds to the southern state.

Belagavi is about 500 kms northwest of Bengaluru in the southern state.

Though timely southwest monsoon since June with heavy and widespread rains across the state filled reservoirs and water bodies, release of excess water and discharges from rain-hit Maharashtra dams in the Krishna river led to flooding of villages in low-lying areas, damage to farmland, roads, bridges and houses in the state's northwest districts in July-August.

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News Network
November 5,2024

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Bengaluru: In a major legal twist, an FIR has been filed against Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, and their close associate Suresh Babu. The trio is accused of threatening a senior IPS officer and making false allegations against him. The FIR, registered by the Sanjaynagar police, follows a complaint by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M. Chandrasekhar, who heads the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Karnataka Lokayukta.

Allegations Against Kumaraswamy
The crux of the case revolves around ADGP Chandrasekhar's investigation into Kumaraswamy's alleged illegal approval of a mining lease to Sri Sai Venkateshwara Minerals (SSVM). Kumaraswamy, currently serving as Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, has been accused of bypassing legal procedures in favor of SSVM, prompting Chandrasekhar to seek the Karnataka Governor's approval to pursue legal action.

In response, Chandrasekhar claims that Kumaraswamy lashed out publicly. On September 28 and 29, the former Karnataka Chief Minister held press conferences, accusing the officer of bribery, misuse of medical records, and personal misconduct. According to the ADGP, Kumaraswamy also issued a threat of transferring him to another cadre outside Karnataka.

Nikhil and Aide Suresh Babu Involved
Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy is also implicated in the controversy. On September 29, Nikhil allegedly echoed his father’s accusations against Chandrasekhar. The third individual named in the FIR, Suresh Babu, a close aide to Kumaraswamy, is accused of escalating the issue by writing a letter to the Karnataka Chief Secretary. This letter, containing further allegations, was made public on social media, adding to the pressure on the senior officer.

Legal Action and Charges
Though Chandrasekhar's complaint was filed in October, formal legal proceedings began on November 4 after securing approval from the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM). The charges include Section 224 (threat of injury to a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). A police source familiar with the case confirmed the charges.

ADGP Chandrasekhar's Response
In a strong rebuttal, ADGP Chandrasekhar addressed his team and the media, branding Kumaraswamy as an accused person trying to intimidate the SIT. He emphasized that these attacks were intended to undermine his officers' morale and interfere with the investigation.

“An accused, no matter how powerful, remains an accused. This attempt to instill fear in the minds of officers is meant to hinder justice," Chandrasekhar said in a written statement. Referring to Kumaraswamy, he added, "This accused, who is currently out on bail, has resorted to such tactics to shake our resolve."

Quoting Shaw to Drive the Point Home
In a dramatic conclusion, Chandrasekhar cited playwright George Bernard Shaw, saying, “Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it,” signaling his intent to remain unshaken in the face of public accusations and personal threats.

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News Network
November 11,2024

Udupi, Nov 11: A traveller reportedly lost ₹4.1 lakh after attempting to book a cab online in Udupi. 

At around 1:30 PM on November 7, the man from West Bengal searched for car rentals on Google and selected a website named "Shakti Car Rentals." Shortly after, he was contacted by someone claiming to be "Rohit Sharma," who directed him to pay a registration fee of ₹150 on the site.

After unsuccessful payment attempts via both his Canara Bank debit card and SBI credit card (without receiving an OTP), "Rohit Sharma" instructed him to pay the driver directly. But at 1:47 PM, he received messages showing deductions of ₹3.3 lakh from his SBI credit card and ₹80,056 from his Canara Bank debit card, totaling ₹4.1 lakh.

The complainant alleges fraud through a deceptive link disguised as a booking token fee. A case has been registered at Udupi Town Police Station.

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News Network
November 11,2024

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Udupi, Nov 11: The Karkala town police in Udupi have arrested Krishna Naik, the sculptor responsible for installing a 33-foot Parashurama statue at Umikkal Hill in Bailur, Karkala taluk. 

Naik, the owner of Krish Art World and a resident of Bengaluru's Visvesvaraya Layout, was apprehended in Mahe, part of the Union Territory of Puducherry, for allegedly substituting a look-alike statue in place of a genuine bronze figure at the Parashurama Theme Park in Karkala.

Udupi Superintendent of Police Dr. Arun K confirmed the arrest, stating that Naik faces charges under Sections 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code. 

This legal action followed a complaint lodged in June by Krishna Shetty, a resident of Nallur village, Karkala. Shetty claimed that Naik had received a payment of ₹1,25,50,000 from Udupi Nirmithi Kendra for the installation of a bronze Parashurama statue. However, Naik allegedly deceived the government by installing a replica instead.

The statue was unveiled on January 27, 2023, by then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Current Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has since ordered a CID investigation to probe deeper into the alleged fraud surrounding the statue's installation at the theme park.

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