Jobless men angry at inequality torched BJP MLA’s cars; no communal angle: Police

News Network
August 14, 2021

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Bengaluru, Aug 14: Three jobless men angry at the rising gap between rich and poor were behind the torching of two cars belonging to the BJP’s Bommanahalli MLA, M Satish Reddy, in the early hours of Thursday, police said. 

One of them had tried to meet the legislator a few times for a job but didn’t get through to him. Their joblessness, coupled with the fact that Reddy travels in swanky cars, forced the men to douse the legislator’s Toyota Fortuner and Mahindra Thar in stolen petrol and set them on fire. It was an act of anger and frustration, according to police. 

The suspects were arrested in Garvebhavipalya, South Bengaluru, around 7 pm on Friday after police caught one of them riding a stolen two-wheeler. 

The arrests, announced by city police Kamal Pant at a news conference, come as an anticlimax to the incident, which triggered conspiracy theories and communal mudslinging. Some people speculated that the arson was linked to the hospital bed-blocking scam, in which a purported aide of Reddy’s has been charged by the police. 

Another theory was that the incident was linked to the controversy over the Shiva statue at Begur Lake, located within Reddy’s assembly constituency. Pro-Hindutava groups have removed the cover of the statue built on an artificial island within the lake premises even as the high court is hearing a petition over the matter. Police have ruled out all these theories. 

Police identified the suspects as Sridhar, 20, of Begur, Naveen, 22, and Sagar, 19, both from Garvebhavipalya. Sagar hails from Nepal and had come to Bengaluru with his parents years ago. He is said to have tried to meet Reddy twice for a job but didn’t succeed. 

He teamed up with Sridhar and Naveen, who echoed his feelings of Reddy’s inaccessibility and the rising economic inequality. The men would see Reddy travelling in high-end cars and lament how the rich were getting richer and the poor poorer. They vowed to teach the rich people a lesson by burning Reddy’s cars. They hoped to become famous overnight by targeting powerful people. None of them has a crime record. 

“They just wanted to vent their anger on rich people,” a senior police officer said before clarifying that only a through investigation would reveal the “exact” motive. 

The trio did a recce of Reddy’s Hongasandra house around Wednesday midnight and left but returned around 1.15 am. 

They stole petrol from two-wheelers, poured it on cars parked outside Reddy’s residence and set them afire. Naveen sustained a burn injury on the leg while torching the cars. The incident was caught on camera. 

The suspects bode their time at nearby buildings and changed clothes. They then ran for over 1.3 kilometres, stole a bike and escaped, the officer said.

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News Network
March 27,2025

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The Karnataka government has announced that Nandini milk will become ₹4 costlier per litre starting April 1, 2025. This is the second price hike this year.

The decision was made during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna and Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh said the increase is meant to support dairy farmers by covering the rising costs of producing and processing milk.

Officials also said that:

>> The extra money from the price hike will go directly to the milk producers.

>> The earlier ₹2 price hike (announced on June 26, 2024) will be withdrawn.

>> The new price hike of ₹4 will apply to both 500 ml and 1-litre packets.

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News Network
March 28,2025

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A 7.7 magnitude earthquake, and an aftershock of 6.8, hit central Myanmar at 12.50pm (local time) Friday. The epicentre was 16km northwest of the city of Sagaing, and at a depth of 10km, the United States Geological Survey said. 20 deaths have been reported - in Myanmar so far - by local media.

Deaths have also been reported from a mosque in Mandalay city, which collapsed while people were inside, praying and a university building in which a fire broke out. And a 1,000-bed hospital in Myanmar capital Naypyidaw has become a "mass casualty area", news agency AFP said.

The Myanmar junta has declared an 'emergency' and has appealed for international aid.

Tremors were felt as far away as northern Thailand, where some metro and rail services were suspended in Bangkok. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is holding an "urgent meeting" to review the crisis and she too has declared a state of 'emergency' in the capital city.

China's Yunnan province also reported strong tremors; the China Earthquake Networks Center said the magnitude was 7.9. And mild tremors were also reported from Kolkata in Bengal and parts of Manipur, where tremors of 4.4 magnitude were recorded as well as Dhaka and Chattogram in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India is ready to offer any assistance needed. "Praying for the safety and wellbeing of everyone," he posted on X. "... have asked our authorities to be on standby."

Terrifying videos on X showed buildings shaking in Bangkok and other cities, with people running onto the streets in panic. "I heard it... I was sleeping in the house and then I ran as far as I could in my pyjamas out of the building," Duangjai, a resident of popular tourist city Chiang Mai, told AFP.

One particularly horrifying video showed water from an infinity pool falling over the edge.

And another showed an under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok's Chatuchak neighbourhood collapsing. According to reports, 43 workers have been trapped amid the debris.

"When I arrived to inspect the site, I heard people calling for help, saying help me," Worapat Sukthai, deputy police chief of Bang Sue district, told AFP. "We estimate that hundreds of people are injured but we are still determining the number of casualties."

In Myanmar, an old bridge over the Irrawaddy River and some residential buildings having collapsed, with images from Mandalay (around 24km from Sagaing) suggesting more people may be trapped.

Other videos showed extensive damage to the airport in Mandalay and to a monastery near the city of Taunggyi, in Myanmar's Shan State that is on the border to Thailand.

Earthquakes are relatively common in Myanmar, where six strong quakes of 7.0 magnitude or more struck between 1930 and 1956 near the Sagaing Fault, which runs north to south through the country.

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake, in the ancient capital Bagan in central Myanmar, killed three people in 2016, also toppling spires and crumbling temple walls at the tourist destination.

The impoverished nation has a strained medical system, especially in its rural states.

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Agencies
March 28,2025

Udupi: Deputy Commissioner K. Vidya Kumari has directed officials to expedite land acquisition for designated industrial zones in the district to facilitate new industries. She issued these instructions during a meeting at Rajatadri on Wednesday.

Lands have been identified across various taluks for industrial development. The DC emphasized that KIADB must acquire these lands and ensure essential infrastructure—electricity, roads, and drainage—to attract industries and generate employment.

A total of 77 acres of private land has been acquired and compensated, including 31.2 acres in Kerebettu village, Hebri taluk, and 45.7 acres in Shivapura village. However, approval for 36.5 acres of government land is still pending. She instructed the forest department to assess whether this land falls under an eco-sensitive zone.

For the Belapu Industrial Area, the DC urged officials to accelerate minor land acquisitions for road expansion and commence construction at the earliest. She also mandated rainwater harvesting systems for all units in the Miyaru Industrial Area to tackle water scarcity.

Currently, 22 export-based units operate in the district. The DC encouraged further promotion of exports and an increase in their number.

The meeting was attended by Joint Director of Industries Nagraj V. Naik, KIADB Development Officer Srinivasa Murthy, Small-Scale Industries Association District President Harish Kunder, Deputy Director of the District Industrial Center Seetharam Shetty, District Skill Development Officer Arun B., and others.

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