‘Stop the Mess’: Mangaluru urges GAIL to immediately restore dug-up roads

Yellapura: A devastating accident occurred early Wednesday morning in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, leaving at least 10 people dead and several others critically injured. The tragedy unfolded near the Kageri petrol station in Yellapur when a truck carrying fruits and vegetables plunged into a valley and overturned.

The truck, which was transporting over 40 traders, was en route from Savanuru in Haveri district to Kumta market in Uttara Kannada. Among the passengers were fruit vendors heading to the Yellapura fair to sell their produce. The accident occurred on the Savanur-Hubballi road, as confirmed by M. Narayana, the Superintendent of Police of Uttara Kannada.

“At approximately 5:30 a.m., the truck driver attempted to give way to another vehicle and veered too far to the left, causing the truck to fall into a valley approximately 50 meters deep,” said SP Narayana.

Victims have been identified as:

Fayaz Imam Saab Jamkhandi (45)

Wasim Virullah Mudageri (35)

Ijaz Mustak Mulla (20)

Sadiq Bhasha Farash (30)

Ghulam Hussain Jawali (40)

Imtiaz Mamajafar Mulakeri (36)

Alfaaz Jafar Mandakki (25)

Jilani Abdul Jakhati (25)

Aslam Babuli Benny (24)

Immediate Response

Upon receiving information about the accident, police rushed to the scene and coordinated the rescue operations. The injured were swiftly transported to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi for treatment. Tragically, eight individuals died on the spot, while another succumbed to critical injuries shortly after. The absence of a protective wall on the road in the valley has been highlighted as a contributing factor.

“Many passengers sustained serious injuries, and the death toll could rise,” said police officials. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Community in Mourning

This tragic incident has left the local community in shock, as families and friends mourn the loss of lives. Authorities are urging caution and have reiterated the need for safety measures on roads in vulnerable areas. Further updates on the condition of the injured are awaited.

Bengaluru: The BJP on Tuesday accused the police of "framing" an innocent person in the cow attack case in Chamarajapet here and demanded a fair investigation into the incident.

Sheikh Nasru (30), a native of Champaran in Bihar, has been arrested for allegedly slashing the udders of three cows on Sunday.

The matter escalated into a communal controversy after the saffron party threatened to observe 'Black Sankranti' if the culprits were not arrested before the festival.

The party has since emphasised that the actual perpetrators must be apprehended.

Addressing media here, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said, "There are claims that an innocent man has been falsely implicated and is being projected as the culprit."

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka also raised doubts about the investigation, questioning how a mentally unstable man could work at the firm for a decade.

Ashoka noted that the incident occurred at the veterinary hospital, which spans four acres.

He alleged that the hospital was recently declared Waqf property and claimed that Karna, the owner of the injured cattle, had opposed the Waqf Board’s decision, suggesting this opposition might have led to the incident.

The party leaders led by Vijayendra and Ashoka celebrated 'Sankranti' by offering special prayers to cows at the spot where the attack took place.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister G Parameshwara dismissed the opposition charges and said the police were investigating the case without any bias.

"If the investigation reveals the involvement of more people, then police will not spare them," he told reporters here.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Taliban's acting deputy foreign minister, delivered a powerful plea to his senior leadership, urging them to reopen schools for Afghan girls. In a speech that resonated as one of the strongest criticisms of the Taliban’s policies on female education, Stanekzai emphasized the injustice and non-compliance with Islamic Sharia law that the current restrictions represent.

“We request the leaders of the Islamic Emirate to open the doors of education,” he declared, invoking the teachings of Islam. “In the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the doors of knowledge were open to both men and women.” His words underscored the historical precedence and religious justification for granting education to all.

Stanekzai did not shy away from highlighting the gravity of the issue. “Today, out of a population of forty million, we are committing injustice against twenty million people,” he stated, pointing to the female population of Afghanistan who remain deprived of their fundamental right to education.

His remarks come as a rare public rebuke of the Taliban’s ongoing school closures for girls, a policy that has faced internal disagreements and widespread international criticism. Sources indicate that the decision was enforced by the Taliban’s supreme spiritual leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, despite opposition within the group.

The Taliban’s shifting stance on women’s education has drawn sharp condemnation globally. After initially promising to reopen high schools for girls in 2022, they reversed course, leaving the doors of secondary education and universities firmly closed to female students. The administration has claimed it is working on a plan for reopening these institutions but has yet to announce any concrete timeline.

Stanekzai’s speech adds to the chorus of criticism from Islamic scholars and the international community, who have called for the Taliban to honor women’s rights in accordance with Islamic principles. Western diplomats have made it clear that formal recognition of the Taliban government hinges on significant policy changes, particularly in the area of women’s education.

As of now, there has been no immediate response from a Taliban spokesman in Kandahar, where Haibatullah Akhundzada resides, regarding Stanekzai’s statements.