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Showing posts from July, 2025

MUDA case: SC quashes ED notice to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife

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Bengaluru: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Directorate of Enforcement, which had challenged the Karnataka High Court’s order quashing the ED notice issued to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi B.M., and Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the first accused in the case. Expressing displeasure while looking into the appeal, Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai remarked that he, unfortunately, has some experience with such matters in Maharashtra. “Please do not force us to say something. Otherwise, we will have to make some very harsh remarks about the ED. Let political battles be fought among the electorate. Why are you allowing yourself to be used for this?” the bench questioned. The bench further stated, “We do not find any error in the reasoning adopted by the single judge. In light of the peculiar facts a...

IMD forecasts heavy rain in coastal Karnataka

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Bengaluru : The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted heavy to very heavy rain for the next 24 hours in parts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. Meanwhile, Hangaloru in Udupi district received the highest rainfall on Sunday, measuring 92mm, Gadag district reported 77.1mm rainfall, the third highest rainfall for July so far, it said. It recorded 89.7mm in 2005 and 87.1mm in 2022. The all-time high of 136.4mm rainfall was witnessed in Gadag on September 29, 1960. Also Read Ajmer reels from waterlogging after torrential rains; three girls drown In Bengaluru , rainfall between 4 and 10mm is expected in the Greater Bengaluru area on Monday. The state capital received 6.5mm rainfall on Sunday. Renjala (73.5mm) and Hakladi (70mm), also in Udupi District, are the other places in Karnataka where rainfall over 70mm was received on Sunday. IMD has predicted heavy rainfall on Monday in parts of Bidar, Kalburgi, Raichur and Yadgir districts of nor...

Amid rift buzz, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar appear together

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Mysuru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday, July 20, offered ‘baagina’ (a traditional ritual offering) to the Kabini River, a tributary of the Cauvery, which is currently flowing at full capacity—a symbolic show of unity amid murmurs of discord between the two leaders. The gesture came a day after a controversy erupted over an alleged snub to Shivakumar by Siddaramaiah during the ‘sadhana samavesha’, a Congress event held in Mysuru on Saturday, attended by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. While addressing the gathering and acknowledging dignitaries on the dais, Siddaramaiah omitted Shivakumar’s name—an omission that prompted criticism and sparked speculation, especially since Shivakumar had left the venue earlier to travel to Delhi. When a Congress leader reminded Siddaramaiah to mention his deputy, the Chief Minister responded that “protocol required acknowledging only those present on the dais.” The BJP seized the moment,...

Karnataka BJP demands CBI probe in stampede case

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka BJP has demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the June 4 stampede tragedy that claimed 11 lives during the celebrations following the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL championship victory. Karnataka Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka wrote a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday, urging that the case be handed over to the CBI. Ashoka stated, “Our fight will not stop until justice is delivered to the families of the 11 innocent youths who lost their lives in the tragedy caused by the negligence of the Congress government during the IPL victory celebrations. Also Read Kashmiri students stopped from classes over hijab in Bengaluru By projecting the police department as solely responsible for the tragedy, the government is attempting to evade its own accountability. I have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding that the case be handed over to the CBI to ensure justice for the victims’ families.” In...

Kashmiri students stopped from classes over hijab in Bengaluru

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Kashmiri female students of Bengaluru’s Sri Soubhagya Lalitha College of Nursing alleged they are forced to miss classes after the chairman of the college denied them entry for wearing the hijab and burkha. The college is affiliated with the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, which highlighted the issue, the Kashmiri students are denied entry into the classrooms, stopped from attending lectures and practical sessions and also threatened to cancel their admission for their religious attire. Also Read Kashmiri women face online Islamophobic abuse post Pahalgam attack A week ago, the college chairman stormed into the class and ordered all students wearing hijab or burkha to leave immediately. When told that there was no such rule in the Constitution over religious attire in educational institutions in India, the college chairman reportedly snapped back, “This is our college, only our rules apply.” The students were ...

DRI officers seize 4 kg cocaine worth Rs 40 cr at Bengaluru airport, one held

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New Delhi: DRI officers have seized over 4 kg cocaine worth Rs 40 crore at the Bengaluru international airport and arrested one passenger, the finance ministry said on Saturday. The officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Bengaluru Zonal Unit intercepted an Indian male passenger, who arrived from Doha at Bengaluru International Airport on July 18. The passenger was carrying two superhero comics/ magazines which were unusually heavy. The officers carefully recovered white powder concealed in coverside of magazines. Also Read Karnataka govt report blames RCB, KSCA for Bengaluru stampede “The powder tested positive for cocaine. The recovered cocaine weighing 4,006 grams (over 4 kg) and having an international market value of around Rs 40 crore was seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act,” the ministry said. The passenger was subsequently arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 and was remanded to judicial custody on July 18, 2025. Get the latest upd...

Karnataka govt report blames RCB, KSCA for Bengaluru stampede

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Bengaluru: The status report on the stampede at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru that left 11 people dead has blamed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), their event management partner M/s DNA Networks Private Ltd, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for unilaterally organising RCB’s massive victory parade and celebration without prior permission or furnishing mandatory details to city authorities. The report has been submitted to the High Court, government sources said. According to the report, at about 6.30 pm, just hours before the IPL final between RCB and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Ahmedabad, the KSCA, on behalf of DNA Networks Pvt Ltd, submitted a letter of intimation to the Cubbon Park police station. “Should RCB emerge victorious in the tournament, the management of RCB/DNA Entertainment Networks Private Limited intends to plan potential victory parades around the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, culminating in victory celebrations at the stadium. This was in the n...

Bengaluru vendors dump UPI, return to cash to avoid GST crackdown

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Small businesses and street vendors in Bengaluru are abandoning digital payments and reverting to cash transactions. The move comes after a recent GST compliance crackdown by the Commercial Taxes Department. Earlier, authorities issued directives mandating GST registration for businesses with annual turnovers exceeding Rs 40 lakh (for goods) or Rs 20 lakh (for services). After notices, Bengaluru vendors abandon UPI payments The tax department has collected UPI transaction data from 2021 to 2025 to identify businesses that crossed the GST threshold without registering. Notices are now being sent to these merchants. The step has forced many to hide or remove their QR codes to avoid scrutiny. Vendors fear that complying with GST could erase their already slim profit margins. Authorities have found nearly 65,000 merchants in Karnataka who received substantial UPI payments without GST registration. Some Bengaluru vendors were found using multiple UPI IDs under the names of the fami...

Two lecturers, associate held for ‘raping’ student in Karnataka

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Bengaluru: Two male lecturers from a private college in Dakshina Kannada district and their associate have been arrested for allegedly raping a female student after “blackmailing” her with videos and photos, police said on Tuesday. The student is from the same college where the accused are employed as lecturers in Moodabidri. According to police, the student alleged that one of the lecturers befriended her under the pretext of sharing academic notes and began chatting with her frequently. He later allegedly invited her to Bengaluru, again citing academic reasons, and raped her at his friend’s residence, police added. The lecturer then threatened her with dire consequences if she disclosed the incident to anyone. The accused reportedly boasted about the assault to another lecturer, who then allegedly began blackmailing the student using photos and videos and demanded sexual favours. In her complaint, the student further alleged that the associate also raped her, blackmailing her...

NCB busts African drug rings in Bengaluru; 9 kg meth seized, 3 arrested

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Hyderabad: In a major breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru, developed intelligence on African drug traffickers transporting drugs via bus and air from Delhi. This led to the identification of two networks and resulted in the interception and arrest of three foreign nationals, along with the seizure of 7 kg and 2 kg of high-grade Methamphetamine at the Bangalore Bus Stand and Kempegowda International Airport, respectively, within a span of three days. In the first operation, 7 kg of Methamphetamine was seized which was sourced from Delhi and transported by a female African national via bus through Mumbai to Bengaluru. To evade detection, she travelled with a child to avoid suspicion. In a swift follow-up action, another female African national, who had arranged the contraband, was also apprehended.In the second operation, 2 kg of Methamphetamine was seized. The contraband was sourced from Delhi, packed at a location in W...

HC orders Karnataka govt to share stampede report with KSCA, RCB

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Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to provide a copy of the status report on the June 4 stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium, submitted by it in sealed cover, to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and DNA Entertainment Networks. The court rejected the state’s justification for withholding the report, noting that the Supreme Court permits sealed cover confidentiality only in matters involving national security, public interest, or privacy rights—criteria that do not apply in this case. A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice C M Joshi made these observations on Monday while deciding whether parties involved in the suo motu public interest litigation on the stampede should be given access to the report. The stampede occurred outside the Bengaluru Chinnaswamy Stadium while RCB was celebrating its maiden IPL title victory inside. Also Read Delhi court reserves verdi...

Veteran actress B Saroja Devi passes away at 87 in Bengaluru

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Renowned actress B Saroja Devi, a towering figure in Indian cinema, passed away today at the age of 87. According to a report by Udayavani , she passed away at her home in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, after a prolonged battle with age-related illnesses. Born on January 7, 1938, B Saroja Devi enjoyed a prolific career spanning over six decades. She appeared in more than 160 films across five languages—Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Sinhalese, and Kannada—earning widespread acclaim for her expressive acting and remarkable versatility. Also Read Veteran actor Kota Srinivasa Rao passes away Fondly known as “Abhinaya Saraswati” (the goddess of acting), she was celebrated by both audiences and critics alike for her powerful performances and significant contributions to Indian cinema. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android ...

Three tiger cubs die in Bannerghatta Biological Park

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Bengaluru: Three tiger cubs that were allegedly abandoned by their mother after littering have died in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) recently, officials said on Saturday. Tigress Hima Das gave its third litter of three cubs on July 7, and after giving birth, she did not take care of them, and consequently, all three cubs were injured, they said. According to the BBP, the cubs were shifted to a Hospital for intensive care and hand-rearing. Despite all interventions by doctors, the cubs didn’t survive. On July 8, a male cub died, and on July 9, another male and a female cubs died. Also Read Two officials suspended over deaths of 5 Tigers in Karnataka “A post-mortem was conducted by the veterinary team. One male cub died due to cervical injury due to stamping, another male cub died due to injuries to brain tissue and meningeal hematoma caused as a result of the mother’s biting on its head, while the female cub succumbed to stamping,” the BBP said, in a statement. The whole o...

Bengaluru stampede: Panel under retired HC judge Michael D’Cunha submits report

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Bengaluru: The one-man inquiry Commission headed by retired High Court Justice Michael D’Cunha, appointed by the Congress-led government to probe the June 4 Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede tragedy that claimed 11 lives, submitted its report to the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday. Justice D’Cunha handed over the report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the presence of the Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajaneesh, and other officials at the Vidhana Soudha. The details of the report are yet to be made public. Also Read Bengaluru stampede: Karnataka govt moves HC challenging CAT order The state government had issued a notification on June 5, 2025, forming a one-man Commission headed by retired Justice Michael D’Cunha to investigate the deaths and injuries caused by the stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebration event. The Karnataka government, on June 7, issued a notification exten...

35-year-old woman gangraped, extorted in Bengaluru, four held

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Bengaluru: A 35-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped and extorted by two men at her friend’s house here, police said on Wednesday. Four men have been arrested in connection with the incident that occurred on July 7 under the jurisdiction of Parappana Agrahara Police Station. According to the police, in her complaint, the woman, who is a beautician, has alleged that two men forcibly entered her friend’s house and raped her. Following the assault, they allegedly demanded money and coerced her to transfer Rs 20,000 to an account, which was then moved to a betting app. Also Read Judicial custody for Kolkata law college gang rape accused Citing the complainant, the officer said that the accused also snatched two mobile phones and fled with a refrigerator and washing machine from the house, claiming it was to settle a loan. “Based on the complaint of the victim, we have registered a case under sections 308 (2) (extortion) and 70 (1) (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Pa...

Karnataka lakes dept lauds HYDRAA’s restoration efforts in Hyderabad

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Hyderabad: A team of engineers from the Bengaluru lakes department visited the city on Tuesday, July 8, to observe the lake rejuvenation efforts undertaken by Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA). The engineers from Karnataka were left impressed and expressed that every state needed a body like HYDRAA. The team from Karnataka, including chief engineer Haridasu, executive engineers Nithya, Bhuprada, and Mahadev, along with other state representatives, toured the Bum-Rukn-ud-Daula Lake in Old City and the Bathukamma Kunta in Amberpet, which have been restored by HYDRAA. They studied encroachment removal processes and praised HYDRAA’s efforts to protect FTLs, buffer zones, and public spaces. Also Read Batukamma Kunta springs back to life post HYDRAA restoration The engineers appreciated HYDRAA’s approach in developing lakes that were on the brink of disappearance or were heavily polluted. They commented that clearing encroachments is the most challengi...

Hyderabad-Bengaluru Vande Bharat doubles coaches to meet demand

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Hyderabad: Starting July 10, passengers travelling between Hyderabad (Kacheguda) and Bengaluru (Yesvantpur) will benefit from a major capacity boost on the Vande Bharat Express. The South Central Railway has announced that the train will operate with 16 coaches, up from the previous 8, effectively doubling its passenger capacity from 530 to 1,128 seats. This expansion comes in response to sustained high demand, with the train consistently operating at over 100 percent occupancy since its launch. Also Read Vande Bharat passenger assaulted after refusing seat exchange with BJP MLA The new configuration includes 14 Chair Car coaches (1,024 seats) and 2 Executive Class coaches (104 seats), compared to the earlier setup of 7 Chair Cars and 1 Executive Class coach. The move is expected to significantly ease reservation challenges for travellers between the two major IT hubs. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stor...

Karnataka man stripped, thrashed for sending obscene message, eight held

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Bengaluru: A college student was allegedly kidnapped, stripped, and brutally assaulted on the outskirts of Bengaluru, after which eight people were arrested and later released on bail, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on June 30 in Nelamangala taluk, police added. The victim, identified as Kushal, a college student, was previously in a relationship with a minor girl from the same locality. However, the couple had broken up a few months ago, after which Kushal allegedly sent her obscene messages. Also Read Infosys worker held for ‘filming’ woman in office washroom The girl later informed her friends, who contacted Kushal on the pretext of “resolving the matter amicably” and convinced him to meet them. On June 30, the accused persons allegedly kidnapped Kushal in a car and took him to a secluded spot, where he was “stripped and assaulted”. The group also threatened to kill him in the same manner as the recent high-profile murder of Renukaswamy, in which Kannada acto...

No link between Covid-19, vaccine & heart attacks: Karnataka expert

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Bengaluru: There is no association between premature cardiovascular disease in a patient and a prior history of Covid-19 infection or Covid vaccination, an expert committee tasked with investigating the recent cases of heart attack deaths in Karnataka concluded. On the contrary, a report submitted by the panel said Covid-19 vaccination has been shown to be protective against cardiac events in the long term. The state government constituted an expert committee headed by Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research to investigate the deaths of over 20 people due to heart attacks in Hassan district. Also Read Two officials suspended over deaths of 5 Tigers in Karnataka The report submitted to the government on July 2 stated that current data does not support the belief that “long covid” is responsible for the rise in sudden cardiovascular events among the young. “Rather, a rise in the prevalence of the common risk factors that lead to ca...

Two officials suspended over deaths of 5 Tigers in Karnataka

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre on Friday suspended two officials for negligence and dereliction of duty in connection with the ‘unnatural deaths’ of five tigers in the Male Mahadeshwara (MM) Hills, officials said. The minister has also recommended the suspension of Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Y Chakrapani in connection with the matter, they said. A female tigress and her four cubs were found dead in the Hugyam range of the MM Hills on June 26. Khandre also recommended departmental inquiries into their conduct. Following the incident, three people — including the owner of a cow allegedly sprayed with poison and consumed by the wild cats — were arrested. Also Read Outrage after forest officials assault Adivasi women in Similipal Tiger Reserve Khandre’s decision came after reviewing the preliminary report submitted by a high-level inquiry committee headed by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) Kumar Pushkar, which was set up to ...

Air India pilot collapses moments before operating Bengaluru-Delhi flight

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Mumbai: An Air India pilot collapsed in the cockpit just before he was to operate the airline’s flight from Bengaluru to Delhi on Friday, sources said. Air India confirmed that there was a “medical emergency” involving one of its pilots in the early hours of July 4, who was rostered to operate its flight AI 2414 to Delhi from Bengaluru. “There was a medical emergency involving one of our pilots in the early hours of July 4. As a result, the pilot was unable to operate the flight AI2414 from Bengaluru to Delhi, that he was rostered for, and was taken to a local hospital immediately,” Air India said in a statement. Also Read AI Express admits engine maintenance lapse after DGCA rap, says issue resolved According to sources, the pilot was in the cockpit and was about to sign the mandatory documents — tech log — to accept the aircraft for flying when he collapsed there, the sources said. “He is currently stable but continues to be under the supervision of doctors at the same hospi...

10 Dalit profs resign alleging discrimination in Bangalore University

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At least ten Dalit professors at Bangalore University have resigned, alleging discrimination in assigning administrative responsibilities. According to them, they were earlier assigned administrative responsibilities in addition to their academic contributions as educators and scholars. However, recently, the Dalit professors have been given ‘in-charge’ responsibilities, which undermine their authority. They allege it deprives them of earned leave privileges, previously ‘earned’ through the aforementioned administrative responsibilities. Also Read Dalit professor sits on floor at AP college after chair removed “While giving additional administrative responsibilities, it is just mentioned as ‘in-charge’, and also trying to avoid the Earned Leaves credited to our accounts,” read a letter addressed to the registrar of the Bangalore University.   The collective resignation letter also spoke of the administration’s failure to address the grievances raised by the Dalit professors....

HC stays trial court proceedings against Shivakumar in defamation case

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Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed the proceedings of the trial court against Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar in connection with a criminal defamation case. The bench, headed by Justice S.R. Krishna Kumar, passed the order granting relief to both Shivakumar and the Karnataka unit of the Congress party. The case in this regard was filed by the BJP’s Karnataka unit. Earlier, the court also stayed the trial court proceedings against Rahul Gandhi , Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, in connection with the same case. Also Read Karnataka DyCM Shivakumar refuses to comment on bribery allegations The BJP had filed a criminal defamation case against Shivakumar and the Congress party over the publication of a “corruption rate card” in regional newspapers and media, which was used as part of the party’s campaign during the 2023 state Assembly elections. The BJP alleged that the advertisements were released by KPCC President D.K. ...