bangalore news times

Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President BK Hariprasad on Friday, July 10, courted controversy by alleging that major violent incidents had followed previous Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) meetings and questioned the purpose of the organisation’s ongoing national conclave in Belagavi. He also intensified his attack on the BJP over the alleged Ayodhya Ram Temple fund irregularities, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Hariprasad said he did not know why the RSS had convened its annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak meeting in Belagavi. He claimed that whenever such meetings had taken place in the past, incidents such as the killings of rationalist MM Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh had followed. He said the outcome of the present meeting should be watched before drawing conclusions, a statement that has triggered political controversy. ...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka government has kick-started preparations for the world-famous Mysuru Dasara 2026, with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar chairing a high-level preparatory meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Friday. The meeting finalised the schedule for the 10-day state festival, with the inauguration set for October 11 at 11.50 am atop Chamundi Hill and the grand Vijayadashami Jumbo Savari on October 21. The Dasara elephant camp will officially begin its ‘Gajapayana’ on July 26, while the traditional welcome ceremony for the elephant squad will be held at the Mysuru Palace entrance on August 26 after a special puja. The state festival will be formally inaugurated on October 11 during the auspicious Dhanur Lagna at Chamundi Hill. On Vijayadashami, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will perform the traditional Nandi Dhwaja Puja before the iconic Jumbo Savari procession begins. Later, floral tributes will be offered to Goddess Chamundeshwari seated atop the Golden Howdah. The...

Chikkaballapura: Frequent sightings of sloth bears around Nandi Hills have triggered concern among tourists and residents, prompting the Chikkaballapur Forest Department to issue a public advisory. CCTV footage has captured bears roaming near resorts, hotels and residential areas surrounding the hill station, which draws thousands of visitors daily, particularly on weekends. Residents say groups of bears emerge from the surrounding forests after nightfall and move close to resorts, hotels and houses. In one incident, CCTV cameras at a resort near Karahalli Cross recorded a bear jumping over the compound fence and entering the premises before returning to the forest. Forest officials have advised tourists and residents not to panic if they encounter a bear. They have cautioned against running, throwing stones, or trying to scare the animals away by lighting fires, warning that such actions could provoke an attack. The advisory asks people to maintain a safe distance and stay ...

Belagavi: Belagavi has been placed under tight security as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) begins its three-day annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak (All India Prant Pracharak Meeting) on Friday, July 10. RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale and the organisation’s senior leadership are participating in the high-level deliberations. The meeting is being held at Sant Meera School in Angol, the RSS office at Shastri Nagar and the Foundry Cluster in Udyambag. The main deliberations are taking place at Sant Meera School, where elaborate security arrangements have been made. Entry has been restricted to invited delegates, while public access has been prohibited. Senior RSS functionaries, including Sah Sarkaryavahs Dr. Krishnagopal, C.R. Mukunda, Arun Kumar, Ramdutt, Alok Kumar and Atul Limaye, have already arrived in Belagavi. More than 130 representatives, including Prant Pracharaks, Sah Prant Pracharaks, Kshetra Pracharaks ...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka Lokayukta on Wednesday carried out simultaneous raids on the residences and offices of 10 government officials across seven districts in connection with alleged disproportionate assets, unearthing cash, gold, luxury properties, agricultural land and other valuable assets running into crores of rupees. The statewide operation targeted officials serving in Bengaluru, Bengaluru South, Raichur, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Kalaburagi and Tumakuru. In Bengaluru , Lokayukta teams searched 14 locations linked to three officials. Searches were conducted at the residence and office of Public Works Department Executive Engineer Narendra Kumar, while raids were also carried out at the properties of APMC Deputy Director (Administration) Pushpa D.R. in Govindarajanagar and KRIDL Superintendent Praveen B. Sri Hari, including his sprawling farmhouse near Kanakapura. Officials reportedly recovered around 1.5 kg of gold ornaments from Pushpa’s residence. Preliminar...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka government has directed all gram panchayats across the state to establish dedicated Help and Facilitation Centres to assist citizens in applying for the newly introduced Permanent Resident Certificate. According to an order issued by the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Commissionerate under the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, each centre must be equipped with essential infrastructure, including computers, internet connectivity, printers and scanners, to enable seamless submission of applications . The centres should also provide adequate seating and other basic amenities for applicants. The government has instructed gram panchayats to prominently display the Panchamitra Helpline number (8277506000) at the facilitation counters so that citizens can seek assistance whenever required. The Help and Facilitation Centres will be managed by the Data Entry Operator working in the respective gram panchayat, while the Panchayat Development Offic...