Kota Srinivas Poojary inaugurates Karavali Utsav procession

Mangaluru: In a tragic case that shocked the city, the principal district and sessions judge Ravindra M Joshi sentenced Sandeep Rathod of Sindagi, Vijayapura, to life imprisonment for the murder of 22-year-old college student Anjana Vashishta.

According to public prosecutor Judith OM Crasta, the gruesome crime occurred on June 7, 2019, when Anjana's body was discovered at Pais Cottage in Attavar. The victim was found with cable wires wrapped around her neck, her head wedged between the cot's rods, painting a chilling picture of her final moments.

Anjana, an MSc student in Ujire, had met Rathod, then 23, through Facebook in July 2018. Rathod, posing as a constable-in-training, developed a relationship with her, even securing a place at the Royal Academy Coaching Centre in Mangaluru. However, things took a dark turn when Anjana informed Rathod that her family had arranged a marriage proposal for her, which she planned to accept.

Devastated by her decision to end their relationship, Rathod called Anjana to his room. In a fit of rage, he strangled her. After the murder, he stole her phone, withdrew Rs 15,000 from her account using her ATM card, and fled to Sindagi, where he stayed at Sangam Lodge.

The Mangaluru South police investigated the case and filed charges under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 380 (theft), and 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property). The court's thorough investigation included testimony from 45 witnesses and the review of 100 documents.

The court ultimately sentenced Rathod to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000. He was also sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for the theft and misappropriation charges, along with fines totaling Rs 1,500. Additionally, the court directed the District Legal Services Authority to provide compensation to Anjana’s parents for their immense loss.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar visited Kesavanahalli village in Sakleshpur taluk, Hassan district, on Wednesday to inspect the trial run of the Yettinahole project, particularly near the Kumbaradadi coffee estate.

During his visit, Shivakumar announced, "Today, we have initiated trial runs for five of the eight check dams, lifting around 1,500 cusecs of water. The remaining works will be launched by the Chief Minister at an auspicious time. I will discuss this further with the Chief Minister."

Highlighting the importance of the project, he added, "The Yettinahole project is a key initiative for our government. I commenced the trial run with a 'Ganga puja.' Although officials provided me with documents and videos, I wanted to see the progress firsthand, which is why I visited the site today."

Shivakumar also shared the financial progress of the project, stating that Rs 16.152 crore has been utilized as of July 2024. He outlined plans to prioritize the project's completion by March 31, 2027.

The Yettinahole project aims to supply 24.01 tmc of water for drinking purposes to several districts, including Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Tumakuru, Hassan, and Chikkamagaluru. Approximately 14.056 tmc of water will be distributed to 38 towns and 6,657 villages across 29 drought-affected taluks, benefiting 7.559 million people. Additionally, the project plans to release 9.953 tmc-ft of water to 527 lakes in Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Hassan, and Tumakuru.

Addressing delays, Shivakumar stated, "During my previous visit, I had set a deadline, but the project has been delayed by two to three months. However, we have managed to complete most of the work, except for tasks related to the Forest Department. We will engage with the department to address these pending issues."

Also present at the inspection were Minister D. Sudhakar, MP Shreyas Patel, MLA K.M. Shivalingegowda, Sharat Bachegowda, Additional Principal Secretary of Water Resources Gaurav Gupta, Deputy Commissioner Satyabhama, and other officials.

Mangaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a major membership drive in Dakshina Kannada, targeting the enrolment of 3.5 to 4 lakh members in the district.

DK BJP unit president Satish Kumpala, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, announced that over 2.5 lakh citizens had joined the party in 2019. This year, the goal is to add another 1.5 to 2 lakh members.

New members can enrol by calling the toll-free number 8800002024 to receive a registration link, while existing members are encouraged to renew their membership. Citizens aged 18 and above are eligible to join the party.

The drive was officially launched in Mangaluru by former BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel. Kumpala added that the initiative will cover all 57 Mahashakthi Kendras in the district, with a special focus from September 11 to 17 to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday celebrations.

The party plans to enrol at least 250 members from each booth, with manual registration options available in rural areas with limited internet access. A district-level workshop will be held later to review the membership enrolments.