Udupi: Masjid committee meet turns ugly; one opens fire, another brandishes sword

Udupi, Jan 27: A bomb threat sent shockwaves through a private school in Udupi, prompting immediate action from the authorities. Students, staff, and parents were thrown into a state of alarm after receiving an alarming email that triggered safety protocols.

The threat was quickly reported to the police, who deployed teams to investigate. Security checks and thorough inspections were carried out to ensure the safety of everyone on the premises.

According to Vincent D’Costa, Principal of Sharada Residential School, the email warned of a potential attack with a bomb targeting the school. It read: “Evacuate the minority students immediately. On this holy day, your school will be victims of the twin pipe IED blast. This is to commemorate the unfair hanging of Afzal Guru and the incident involving Anna University Professor Chithrakala Gopalan. We aim to reach heaven through this tragic event. We will be the ones activating the devices today.”

In response, Principal D’Costa reassured the media, saying, “Upon receiving the email, we immediately notified the relevant authorities, and security measures have been strengthened. Our students come from various parts of the country, so we are always vigilant. There is no cause for fear, and we stand united with the police in ensuring the safety of everyone.”

The incident led to a gathering of worried parents and guardians at the school, anxiously awaiting updates and reassurance regarding the situation.

Udupi: Karnataka Kreedakoota-2025, a sports event organised by the Youth Empowerment and Sports Department, Karnataka Olympic Association, and the District Administration, will be held in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts from January 17 to January 23.

The event will feature 1,373 athletes participating in a variety of sports, including kayaking, canoeing, archery, cycling, wrestling, boxing, hockey, lawn tennis, table tennis, Kabaddi, Judo, and athletics.

Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari K addressed a press conference on Monday, providing details about the events in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

According to her, while volleyball, basketball, and swimming competitions will take place in Dakshina Kannada, events like kayaking and canoeing will be held in Brahmavara’s Swarna River, and archery will take place at the MJC Ground in Manipal.

Marena Sports Complex in Manipal will host lawn tennis and table tennis matches, she added.

The opening ceremony will take place on January 17 in Mangaluru and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be inaugurating the event.

The closing ceremony will be held in Udupi on January 23, with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Home Minister G Parameshwar attending.

The district administration, in collaboration with Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, has made provisions for accommodation and food for the participants, said the DC.

She also said the synthetic track at the Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium in Ajjarakad is undergoing repair work after its 10-year durability period ended in 2023, to provide athletes better infrastructure.

Bengaluru, Jan 24: The BJP has sparked controversy by opposing a meeting between Muslim community leaders and Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, where increased budgetary allocations for minorities were discussed. The BJP labeled the demands as "religion-based budgeting," accusing the Congress-led government of minority appeasement.

Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s National Information and Technology Department, claimed on social media platform X, “This kind of Muslim assertion and religion-based demands led to India’s partition along religious lines in 1947. We can’t afford it again.”

The meeting, attended by Ministers Rahim Khan, Zameer Ahmed Khan, and Siddaramaiah's Political Secretary Naseer Ahmed, focused on enhanced funding for minority welfare. Malviya criticized it as a "brazen display of minority appeasement," alleging that the Congress was catering to its vote bank in return for support.

The Congress government allocated Rs 3,000 crore for minority welfare in its 2024-25 State Budget, drawing fire from opposition parties. However, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar defended the allocation, stating, “In a Rs 3.71 lakh crore budget, can’t we allocate even 1 per cent for Muslims? This funding supports schools and development programs. What’s wrong with that?”

Meanwhile, BJP and JD(S) leaders accused the Congress government of sidelining Hindus while failing to address pressing issues like rising crime and fiscal mismanagement. Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka criticized the government for planning to borrow Rs 1 lakh crore to fund its "five guarantee" schemes and other initiatives, questioning the state's development progress.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is set to present the 2025-26 State Budget in March, which is expected to cross Rs 4 lakh crore, marking his 16th budget as Finance Minister. The Congress government faces growing opposition from BJP leaders, who claim its policies prioritize appeasement over governance.