bangalore news times

Bengaluru: The alleged fake drug racket has widened the regulatory scrutiny of hospitals and medicine suppliers, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) taking action against pharmacies and examining the role of distributors involved in supplying critical medicines. The development follows the Special Investigation Team’s probe into the suspected network and its efforts to establish which hospitals had allegedly received medicines from the chain. More than 15 hospital pharmacies, including pharmacies in Bengaluru, have been issued notices, and authorities have initiated action to cancel licences where violations are detected. Distributors and medical representatives involved in supplying cancer medicines, life-saving drugs and ICU injections are also being questioned. Investigators are checking whether the suppliers complied with prescribed quality, storage and distribution standards. The FDA is also examining the records of distributors and other intermediaries t...

Hassan : A comment by Minister K.M. Shivalinge Gowda during a Praja Seva programme at Sakleshpur sparked a confrontation with a member of the audience after the latter questioned the need for citizens to pay or honour government officials for getting their work done. Addressing the gathering at the Sakleshpur tahsildar’s office on Saturday Shivalinge Gowda said it was the duty of people to respectfully acknowledge officials who helped them complete their work. At the same time, he said forcibly taking money from people was not proper. The statement prompted a person in the audience to ask why citizens should give money to government officials when they were already receiving salaries. The question led to a heated exchange at the venue. The minister reportedly alleged that the person had come to disrupt the meeting and instructed police personnel to remove him from the programme. The incident occurred during the state government’s Praja Seva campaign, unde...

Bengaluru: Educational tours organised by Karnataka’s government first-grade colleges will come under stricter supervision, with the Department of Collegiate Education introducing a series of measures aimed at preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of students. Among the 12 instructions issued by the department is a ban on students taking selfies, creating reels and recording videos during educational trips. Teachers accompanying the students have been asked to keep a close watch and ensure that the directive is followed. The department has made its prior approval mandatory for all educational tours. Colleges must submit details of the proposed trip along with undertakings from students and consent letters from their parents. Groups will not be allowed to travel to places other than those approved by the department. The safety of female students has been given particular emphasis. Colleges have been told to make necessary arrangements throughout the journey, with th...

Bengaluru: The Hoskote police has arrested five people for allegedly cheating members of the public by offering properties claimed to be worth Rs 1 crore for an investment of Rs 10 lakh. Police suspect that the accused had been running the operation by exploiting the trust of locals and investors. The arrested persons are Shashikumar, a resident of Yelachenahalli, and the alleged main accused, Nagesh, Pramila, Ambuja and Venkataravanappa. Police said Shashikumar had established contacts with several people in Hoskote and neighbouring areas and allegedly used his reputation among them to attract investors. He reportedly approached real estate operators and financially sound individuals, promising them an opportunity to purchase valuable land at a significantly lower price. As part of the alleged operation, prospective victims were taken to different properties. Shashikumar allegedly claimed that the lands were benami properties and could be obtained for only Rs 10 lakh des...

Bengaluru: Passengers using Bengaluru’s Namma Metro are facing long queues at several stations, with commuters reportedly spending 20 to 30 minutes waiting for baggage checks before entering the stations. The problem has been particularly noticeable on the Purple Line connecting Whitefield with Challaghatta. Major stations, including Baiyappanahalli, Benniganahalli and Whitefield, have witnessed long queues during peak hours, leaving office-goers and students struggling to reach their destinations on time. Passengers said the queues at some stations extend from the entry gates to the skywalks outside. The situation is reportedly more severe between 7 am and 10 am and again from 4 pm to 7 pm, when passenger movement increases significantly. Namma Metro has emerged as a preferred mode of transport for thousands of Bengaluru residents, particularly IT and other private-sector employees and students. Many commuters rely on the metro to avoid traffic congestion and reach offic...

Bengaluru: A 38-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her husband following a quarrel over her failure to answer his phone calls at Bilekahalli in Bengaluru’s Mico Layout. The accused allegedly attempted to destroy evidence by pouring hot oil on her body before being arrested by the police. The deceased has been identified as Gunja Madeshia, while her husband, Ranjit Kumar Gupta, a native of Bihar, has been arrested in connection with the incident. The couple had been living with their children in a rented house at Bilekahalli. According to the police, frequent arguments had reportedly taken place between the couple over Gunja not answering her husband’s phone calls. On Thursday, September 17, morning, after their children left for school, the couple again got into an argument at their residence. The quarrel allegedly turned violent, with Ranjit attacking Gunja and strangling her using a veil and a saree. She died at the spot, police said. Investigators...