MLA C B Suresh Babu replaces HDK as JDS leader in Karnataka Assembly

Shivamogga: From the serene town of Thirthahalli, Deeksha R, a bright student of Vagdevi Pre-University College, has made her mark on the state stage by sharing the first rank in the Science stream of the PU 2 examinations. She scored an outstanding 599 out of 600, tying with Amoolya Kamath of Mangaluru.

Deeksha is the daughter of Raghavendra Kalkura and Usha V, both committed educators. Her father, a teacher at the Government High School in Megaravalli, said with joy, “We were expecting around 595 marks. But 599 was a surprise and a moment of pure happiness. Deeksha didn’t study daily in a strict routine, but she was focused and had a well-planned approach. During her study holidays, I helped her prioritise subjects based on need.”

Deeksha's academic brilliance isn’t new — she had earlier scored 98.6% in Grade 10 (ICSE) at Sahyadri School, Bettamakki. Her PU college teachers recognised her potential early and provided strong support throughout.

Looking ahead, Deeksha has big ambitions — she plans to pursue a career in Artificial Intelligence engineering. She has already appeared for the JEE exams and is preparing for the CET next week. “We’re hopeful she’ll secure a seat in a top engineering college,” her father added.

College Principal Mamata expressed immense pride: “Deeksha never attended any tuition outside of college. Her discipline and commitment were remarkable. It’s a proud moment for our college and our town.”

By sharing the top rank in the state, Deeksha has not only brought glory to her hometown but also become a symbol of how talent, discipline, and the right guidance can create a truly stellar success story.

Mangaluru: A routine midnight tea run turned into a horrifying tragedy when a motorcycle carrying three young men — in clear violation of traffic rules — slammed into an open divider on National Highway 66 at SKS Junction in the early hours of April 8. Two of them lost their lives, while the third is recovering from injuries.

The victims have been identified as Sankeerth, who was riding the motorcycle (KL-58-Q-6381), and Dhanurved C, the first pillion rider. Sibi Sam, the second pillion rider, was injured but survived the crash.

According to the FIR registered at the Traffic East Police Station (Crime No. 48/2025), the friends had set out from Lohith Nagar around 2:30 am, heading towards Pumpwell for tea. While Rohan Joby and Meghnath rode separately on a different bike (KL-13-AH-2388), Sankeerth was accompanied by two pillion riders — a clear case of triple riding, which is both illegal and dangerous.

As they sped along NH-66, Sankeerth reportedly lost control near SKS Junction and collided with the edge of an open road divider at approximately 2:50 am. The impact threw all three men onto the highway with violent force.

Sankeerth and Dhanurved suffered critical head and facial injuries and died while being rushed to the hospital. Sibi Sam is undergoing treatment for his injuries.

The FIR invokes Sections 281, 125(a), 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and 128(a) read with 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which include provisions related to rash driving and traffic violations.

The police have launched a full investigation. The accident has reignited public concern about reckless driving, triple riding, and the hazards posed by poorly maintained road dividers, especially during low-visibility hours.

Bengaluru, April 12: Karnataka is set to experience a fresh spell of rainfall across multiple districts from April 12 to 18, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The forecast comes on the heels of an unusually wet start to April, with most parts of the state already recording significantly above-average rainfall.

Data from the IMD reveals that Karnataka received 19.1 mm of rainfall in the first week of April—well above the state’s average of 4.7 mm for the period. The coastal region recorded 18.1 mm (compared to the usual 4.7 mm), the north interior region saw 13.9 mm (against 3.8 mm), and the south interior region reported a striking 23.8 mm (surpassing its normal 5.5 mm).

Out of Karnataka’s 31 districts, 25 experienced excess rainfall during the first week of April. Three districts received normal rainfall, one recorded deficient rainfall, and another remained dry.

The upcoming week is expected to bring moderate rainfall to a wide swath of the state, including:

Coastal Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Uttara Kannada

Southern and Central Districts: Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Chikkamagaluru, Chamarajanagar, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Shivamogga, Tumakuru

Northern Districts: Ballari, Davanagere, Chitradurga, Vijayanagara

Scattered rainfall is also forecast in several areas of north interior Karnataka.

Rainfall Outlook by Date:

April 12: Showers expected in Bagalkote, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Koppal, and Vijayapura

April 13: Belagavi and Raichur likely to receive rainfall

April 14–16: Rain likely across all districts of Karnataka

Rainfall activity was already observed on Friday in parts of coastal Karnataka, north interior Karnataka, and isolated pockets of the south interior region. Mangaluru (Dakshina Kannada) recorded 4 cm of rain, while several areas in Yadgir—including Kakkeri, Shorapur, Saidapur, and Gabbur—each received 3 cm. Similar amounts were recorded in Jalahalli (Raichur) and parts of Bidar district.

With more wet days ahead, the rainfall is expected to bring some relief from the heat as Karnataka continues into the heart of summer.