bangalore news times

Bengaluru : Karnataka has stepped up its campaign against rice smuggling and illegal stockpiling, with the Food and Civil Supplies Department seizing more than 18 lakh kg of rice and over 250 trucks during the past two months. Food Minister Rizwan Arshad said more than 232 people had been arrested and sent to jail as part of the intensified enforcement drive. The department was maintaining continuous surveillance to prevent subsidised rice supplied through the public distribution system from being diverted into the open market. The minister said the government would take stringent action against individuals and traders involved in the illegal transportation, storage and sale of rice. Expressing concern over the impact of inadequate rainfall on agricultural production, Arshad said Karnataka had received around 40% less rainfall than normal. The rainfall deficit across the country had also affected rice production, contributing to concerns over availability and rising pri...

Chamarajanagar : A pregnant wild elephant was found dead on private land near Gopalaswamy Betta in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, adding to concerns over the safety of wildlife in the forest landscape. The female elephant, believed to be around 35 years old, was found in a private property in the Gopalaswamy Betta range of Gundlupet taluk. The location was about 150 metres from the forest boundary. Forest officials reached the spot and began an investigation. Veterinarian Dr Mirza Wasim conducted the post-mortem examination and found that the elephant was carrying a foetus. Details about the age of the unborn calf remain unclear, with preliminary information containing discrepancies. Officials suspect that the animal may have died in a fight with another wild elephant. However, the department has not established the cause of death , which will be determined after the post-mortem report is assessed. The incident follows other disturbing developments in Bandipur. A tiger...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court has ruled that Maharashtra’s Vadgaon police acted unlawfully in seizing business records from a tobacco products firm’s office in Tumakuru and issuing notices summoning its representatives for questioning outside the police station’s jurisdiction. Justice Suraj Govindaraj partly allowed petitions filed by Shiv Enterprises and others, challenging the actions of Maharashtra police. The court held that notices issued under Section 179 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) could not be used to compel persons outside the concerned police station’s territorial limits to appear in Vadgaon. The matter originated in August 2025, when Maharashtra police intercepted a lorry transporting prohibited tobacco products on the Bengaluru-Pune highway and registered an FIR against certain individuals. Following the incident, five to six personnel from Vadgaon police station visited the Tumakuru office of Shiv Enterpr...

Bengaluru : Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, which was once frequently in the news over the recovery of contraband, has been declared free of prohibited items by the Department of Prisons and Correctional Services. The Bengaluru prison had earlier witnessed the seizure of ganja, tobacco products, beedis and cigarettes during inspections. The repeated recovery of such materials had become a source of concern and embarrassment for the prison administration. The department attributed the change to sustained inspections and tighter enforcement. Director General of Police (Prisons) Alok Kumar had directed officials to intensify searches and prevent illegal activities within the prison. The latest inspections reportedly found no banned articles, leading to the declaration that the facility was prohibited-items-free. Alongside security measures, the prison administration has introduced initiatives aimed at changing the outlook of inmates. The roads within the prison have bee...

Bengaluru : Karnataka has extended emergency assistance to Andhra Pradesh to restore electricity infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Arnab, deploying 500 skilled power workers and specialised machinery to the neighbouring state. The assistance follows a request from the Andhra Pradesh government for manpower and equipment to undertake urgent restoration work. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar spoke to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu over the phone and assured him of Karnataka’s full support. Shivakumar said electricity was an essential service and its restoration was a priority to ensure the welfare of people affected by the cyclone. Energy Minister K.J. George is supervising the deployment and coordinating the assistance. The Karnataka government has dispatched 500 skilled linemen, 15 Palfinger trucks fitted with cranes and earth augers, and 25 tractor-mounted drilling machines. The teams were mobilised on an emergency basis and left for Andhra Pr...

Bengaluru : A police order stopping all theatre performances at Bengaluru’s Suchitra Film and Cultural Academy has sparked a debate over artistic freedom and the limits of police intervention in cultural spaces. The Banashankari police issued the directive following a dispute during the October 31 staging of ‘The Truth Behind Gandhi’s Assassination’, authored by Addanda C Cariappa, former director of Mysuru Rangayana. The confrontation led to complaints and counter-complaints, and an investigation is under way. The police have instructed the academy to postpone all theatre performances until further orders. The directive also warns of legal action if any event is held and causes a law-and-order problem. The decision has been criticised by writers and social media users, who argue that the restriction affects not just the organisers of the controversial play but also other theatre groups and artists using the venue. Writer Rohith Chakrathirtha al...