Localites go on adventure ahead of National Youth Fest

Mangaluru: A seemingly harmless YouTube advertisement has cost a Mangaluru man his life savings, after he fell victim to an elaborate investment scam and lost a staggering ₹55 lakh.

According to the police complaint, the victim was lured in by a man named Shardul Jani, who claimed that a trading app called Abans Pro would deliver high returns. On February 11, the man made an initial investment of ₹15,000. A trading account was created for him, which soon began displaying encouraging profits.

Buoyed by these promising numbers and under constant persuasion from the accused, the man was convinced to invest more. Reassured that the money could be withdrawn at any time, he not only continued investing himself but also involved his relatives, who collectively transferred ₹39 lakh into his account for further investments.

Between February 11 and March 27, the victim transferred a total of ₹55 lakh to multiple bank accounts provided by the accused. But when he finally attempted to withdraw the funds, nothing came back. The profits were a mirage—his money had vanished.

Realising he had been conned, the man approached the Bajpe police, who have registered a case and begun an investigation into the fraudulent scheme.

Mangaluru: On a scorching summer Friday, April 18, the usually quiet locality of Adyar Kannur in Mangaluru transformed into a powerful symbol of resistance and unity. A massive public protest, led by the Karnataka State Ulema Coordination Committee, witnessed an overwhelming turnout of nearly 3,000 people voicing their dissent against the Central Government’s recent amendments to the Waqf Act. 

The protest wasn’t just an outcry—it was a declaration of solidarity, discipline, and deep-rooted concern over the perceived infringement of religious and institutional autonomy.

Organized under the leadership and guidance of the Khazis from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, the protest drew people from all corners of the region including Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu districts. The protest venue, Sha Garden in Adyar Kannur, turned into a sea of people as participants gathered from various towns and villages despite the scorching afternoon sun.

From 2 PM onwards, people began arriving in large numbers. The influx of participants led to significant traffic congestion on the adjoining highways, compelling authorities to reroute vehicles to maintain order. Inside the city and surrounding areas, many shops remained closed, partly due to the event and partly as it coincided with the sacred Jumma prayers.

Security was handled with tight coordination—police personnel were stationed at all major junctions, crossings, and strategic points. Alongside them, volunteer marshals maintained decorum at the protest site, managing the crowd efficiently and ensuring cleanliness by removing empty water bottles and litter.

Chants of “Azaadi” (freedom) echoed through the grounds as protesters raised their voices in peaceful opposition to the Waqf Amendment Bill. Despite the emotionally charged atmosphere, the protest remained peaceful. The organizers consistently appealed to the crowd via loudspeakers to maintain harmony and avoid any provocative slogans.

Drone surveillance and videographers were deployed for complete documentation of the event, enhancing both the security and transparency of the protest. However, the sheer number of participants caused temporary network disruptions, affecting mobile communication in the area.

Adding a patriotic touch, several protestors were seen waving the Indian national flag, reinforcing that the movement was deeply rooted in constitutional values and democratic expression.

Among the dignitaries present were UK Abdul Azeez Darami Chokkabettu, Dr. M S M Zaini Kamil, Abdul Khader Darami Kukkila, Kasim Darami Kinya, Aboobakkar Siddique Montugoli, Mehboob Sakafi Kinya, and Ashraf Kinara. Their presence underlined the seriousness of the gathering and provided moral and spiritual guidance to the demonstrators.

The peaceful protest stood as a clear, disciplined, and democratic expression of the Muslim community’s concern, sending a strong message to the authorities: religious rights and institutional independence are not to be tampered with.

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.