Eshwarappa to lead march demanding ST status for Kuruba community

Kadaba, Jan 18: In a heartrending incident, a 16-year-old student lost his life on Friday, January 18, after the motorbike he was riding skidded off the road and plunged into a culvert on the Dharmasthala–Mardhala–Subrahmanya state highway near Gargaspal, Peradka. 

The accident spot falls under the Noojibaltila gram panchayat in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district. 

The victim, Ashish, a tenth-grade student from a private school in Peradka, was the beloved son of Vishwanath of Hosamane Kaana in Noojibaltila village. His untimely demise has left his parents and sibling in profound grief.

The accident occurred during Ashish’s routine commute to school. Despite the swift intervention of a local resident, Sridhar, who rushed him to a private hospital in Kadaba, medical efforts could not save him. A case has been registered at the Kadaba police station.

The culvert where the accident happened has long been criticized by locals for its flawed and unsafe design. Numerous accidents have reportedly occurred at this spot, prompting repeated appeals from residents for immediate rectification. Community members have once again called upon authorities to prioritize repairs to prevent further tragedies.

Responding to the incident, Kadaba tahsildar Prabhakar Khajure underscored the importance of curbing underage driving. He directed the police department to take stringent action against minors found operating vehicles and cautioned parents about the serious consequences of providing vehicles to underage children.

This incident serves as a grim reminder of the pressing need for both infrastructural improvements and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations to safeguard young lives.

Bengaluru: An eight-month old baby has been detected with the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in a Bengaluru hospital on Monday, with reports going viral online. This is likely the first reported case of HMPV in the country after the recent spike in China.

The baby is reportedly undergoing treatment in a private hospital in northern Bengaluru.

The Karnataka state health department has maintained that there is no cause for concern.

"We don't know what strain of virus is spreading in China. Without knowing that, we cannot say that this reported case is concerning. We have been reviewing all influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) from December to check for any strain that is concerning. There is no such concerning spike across the state or country," said a well-placed source in the state health department.

The HMPV is a known virus (first discovered in 2001) that causes respiratory symptoms similar to that of a common cold, largely affecting children below the age of five. It is not a new virus.

Cases have been reported in the past, especially in the winter season, note experts and health department officials, making it not an immediate concern, unless an unusual spike is observed.

In December 2024, 714 suspected cases of HMPV were tested in 16 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) across the country, of which only nine were confirmed positive.

Sullia, Jan 18: In a shocking incident, a man shot his wife dead during a fit of rage over a minor argument and later took his own life by consuming poison. The heartbreaking event unfolded late Friday night in Kodimajalu in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada.

The accused, identified as Ramachandra Gowda alias Chandra (53), used his licensed firearm to commit the crime. His wife, Vinoda (43), tragically lost her life in the incident.

On the fateful night, Ramachandra reportedly started an argument with his family after dinner over a trivial matter. The heated exchange escalated, and in a fit of uncontrollable anger, he allegedly aimed his firearm at his elder son, Prashanth. Vinoda intervened to prevent the attack, attempting to wrest the gun from Ramachandra.

However, enraged by her intervention, Ramachandra turned the gun on Vinoda and shot her, leaving her dead on the spot. Overwhelmed by the gravity of his actions, he consumed acid, commonly used for rubber processing, to end his own life.

Based on Prashanth’s statement, a case has been registered at the Sullia police station. The tragic sequence of events has left the village in shock and mourning, raising concerns about the unchecked escalation of domestic disputes.

This devastating incident underscores the importance of addressing domestic tensions before they spiral into irreversible tragedies.