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Bengaluru : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday reacted sharply to a reporter who asked about a possible leadership change and dismissed speculation that his deputy D K Shivakumar could take charge in November. The reporter sought the chief minister’s reaction to reports claiming that Shivakumar had set November 21 as the date to take oath as the next CM. “Has he (Shivakumar) told you? How did you come to know?” Siddaramaiah shot back. When the reporter replied that he had read it in a newspaper, the chief minister retorted, “How will you see it in the newspaper? Which newspaper? I didn’t see it anywhere, though I read all the newspapers.” Also Read Will continue as Karnataka CM if high command decides: Siddaramaiah There has been speculation about a possible leadership change as the Congress government approaches the halfway mark of its term next month—a phase some have dubbed the “November revolution.” However, amid talk of a leadership change, Siddaramaiah has...

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) authorities on Thursday, October 30, began an unconventional cleaning drive that involves dumping garbage near the houses of habitual offenders. Termed as ‘Kasa Surisuva Habba’, which translates to garbage dumping festival, the authorities took the initiative after repeated programmes failed to keep the city clean. Several residents woke up to find the same garbage they threw outside their homes dumped by the authorities themselves. They were also reportedly fined up to Rs 10,000, a report by DH said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Siasat Daily (@siasatdaily) The agency explained that marshals were deployed to track the waste from illegal dumping ‘black spots’ back to the responsible households. A senior BSWML official stated that this dumping festival theme was chosen specifically to create awareness and eliminate future black spots in the city. “After dumping th...

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ordered an interim stay on the the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into allegations of “multiple murders, rapes and burials” in the temple town of Dharmasthala, until November 12. Justice Mohammad Nawaz passed the interim order on a petition filed by activists Girish Mattanavar, Mahesh Thimmarodi, Jayant T, and Vittal Gowda, who had earlier supported former sanitation worker C N Chinnaiah in filing a first complaint alleging multiple murders and burials in Dharmasthala. The four had approached the court seeking to quash an FIR registered by the Dharmasthala police in connection with the case. A controversy erupted after a complainant, later identified as Chinnaiah and arrested on charges of perjury, claimed burying a number of bodies, including those of women with signs of sexual assault, in Dharmasthala over a period of past two decades, with the implications pointing towards the administrators of the local temple. The petit...

In a now-deleted LinkedIn post by a retired Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) officer from Bengaluru shared how, after the passing of his only daughter, he was asked for bribes at every step of the process, moving many. K Sivakumar, the former chief financial officer (CFO) of BPCL, wrote an imploring message detailing the apathy he received while completing the official formalities, following his daughter, Akshaya’s passing. He started his post with, “Recently, my only child passed away at age 34. The amount of open bribe being asked by ambulance, police for FIR and post-mortem report, crematorium for giving receipts, BBMP office for death certificate.” He also described the bribe asked at the police station, “Since the police had to give a copy of the FIR and post mortem report, we met after four days and they openly demanded cash which I paid in the open police station.” He even recounted the rudeness of a particular inspector, stating, “Inspector of Belandur police statio...

Bengaluru : A 24-year-old gig worker was killed and his friend injured after a speeding car rammed into their two-wheeler in South Bengaluru in what police said was “a deliberate act of revenge” on Wednesday, October 29. A husband-wife duo, Manoj Kumar (34), a Kalaripayattu instructor, and Arathi Sharma (30), a homemaker, have been arrested in connection with the incident. The incident occurred on October 25, after 11:30 pm, under the Puttenahalli police station limits. According to police, the two-wheeler was hit from behind by a car that initially sped away from the scene. While the rider, Darshan, died on the spot, his friend and pillion rider, Varun (24), sustained injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Initially, the JP Nagar Traffic Police registered a case of accidental death. However, after examining CCTV footage, investigators found that the car had deliberately chased the two-wheeler for around 2 km before ramming into it, Deputy Commissioner o...

Bengaluru: Former Congress MP D K Suresh on Wednesday said he desires to see his elder brother and deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar become the Karnataka CM, and that if it is in his fate, he will occupy the top post. Refusing to comment on speculations about a possible change of chief minister and the so-called “November revolution”, Suresh asserted that the party’s decision would be final and that everyone would abide by it. There has been speculation about a change in leadership in Karnataka when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term next month—a development some have referred to as the “November revolution”. “I have no information about it. For me, November means ‘Kannada Rajyotsava’ (state formation day) and celebrating the festival of Kannadigas,” he said. “I have no information about other things. You will have to ask the chief minister, party president, and AICC leaders about it,” Suresh told reporters when asked about the power-sharin...

Kalaburagi : The peace meeting convened by the district administration to discuss permission for RSS route march and similar rallies by nine other organisations in Chittapur on November 2 has failed to reach a consensus, official sources said. The meeting was held as per the directions of the Kalaburagi bench of the Karnataka High Court , issued last Friday. Chaired by Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum, the meeting was attended by representatives of 10 organisations, including the RSS, Bhim Army, Bharatiya Dalit Panthers, Hasiru Sene, Karnataka Rajya Chalavadi Kshemabhivruddi Sangha, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, and Gonda Kuruba ST Horata Samithi, among others, officials said on Tuesday. According to official sources, several organisations demanded that the RSS conduct its route march carrying the national flag and the preamble of the Constitution instead of lathis (sticks) and the Bhagavadwaja (saffron flag). However, RSS representatives attending the meeting reject...

Bengaluru: Aiming for a drug-free Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday called upon the police department to make this their collective mission, saying that if achieved, people across the state would be grateful to the entire force. He said the efficiency of the police department enhances the government’s reputation. “The India Justice Report ranking Karnataka Police as number one has enhanced the state’s prestige,” the chief minister said, expressing his appreciation. Speaking after inaugurating the Anti-Narcotics Task Force at an event organised by the Karnataka Police Department at Vidhana Soudha here, Siddaramaiah said, “A drug-free state is my goal. Let this be your goal too. The people of Karnataka will be grateful to the police department for this. Our youth and students should not fall victim to narcotics. The police must take a firm and determined stand against drugs.” Also Read BJP seeks judicial probe into corruption charges against Speaker UT Khader Ref...

Bengaluru: BJP MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge into allegations of corruption against Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader, during his 2.5 year tenure. Kageri also called for bringing the office of the Speaker under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, to ensure transparency. “There are allegations that U T Khader in his 2.5 years tenure as the Speaker of the Assembly, has indulged in corruption, in the name of administrative reforms. Such allegations are there in the media, social media, Youtube and others,” he said. Also Read Will continue as Karnataka CM if high command decides: Siddaramaiah Speaking to reporters here, the former state assembly Speaker said, “The projects undertaken by him were not urgent, several of them were rejected by the Finance Department, but still using the Chief Minister’s influence they were getting sanctioned. There are allegations that the works were taken up by obtaining 4 (g) exem...

Mangaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he would continue in office for the full five year term, subject to the Congress high command’s decision. There has been speculation about a possible change in leadership when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November—a phase being referred to by some as the “November revolution”. However, amid the talk of a leadership change, Siddaramaiah has consistently reiterated that he will complete a full five-year term. Responding to a question on whether he would remain chief minister for five years, Siddaramaiah told reporters, “If the high command decides.” Asked about his close confidant and former minister K N Rajanna’s statement that Siddaramaiah should continue as CM for five years, he said, “It is his personal opinion”. On multiple chief ministerial aspirants within the Congress, Siddaramaiah said, “In a democracy, we cannot tell those in the race not to compete. It is their ...

Graduating students from Azim Premji University, located in Bengaluru , during their convocation ceremony on Saturday, October 25, were seen wearing stickers that called for the “end to ties between Wipro and Tel Aviv,” to show solidarity with the Palestinians and protest what they termed Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza. The university was founded by Azim Premji, former chairman and founder of Wipro . Graduating students from Azim Premji University, during their convocation ceremony on Saturday, October 25, were seen wearing stickers that called for the “end to ties between Wipro and Tel Aviv,” to show solidarity with the Palestinians and protest what they termed Israel’s… pic.twitter.com/zwzakLCuDM — The Siasat Daily (@TheSiasatDaily) October 27, 2025 Students stated that the company that is funding their university is “complicit in the genocide against Palestinians by partnering with Israel in many research projects,” and many of the technologies developed through these c...

Hyderabad: A day after the tragic Kurnool bus fire accident in Andhra Pradesh , which claimed 20 young lives, details have emerged about the biker whose two-wheeler hit the bus. A video has surfaced showing the biker stopping at a petrol station moments before the crash. CCTV footage shows 22-year-old Shiva Shankar, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, visiting the bunk along with a pillion rider. He then drags his bike and slips while speeding away. Meanwhile, the main bus driver, Miryala Lakshmaiah, who was on the run, was arrested by police on Saturday, October 25. Also Read Hyderabad-Bengaluru bus fire: Driver arrested, fake license discovered Lakshmaiah allegedly obtained his heavy vehicle license using a fake certificate. Investigators discovered that he had used fabricated documents claiming to be a tenth-grade failure, despite RTA rules requiring at least an eighth-grade education for the license. In 2004, he had crashed into a nearby tree while working as a lorry...

Kurnool: The DNA profiling of victims of Andhra Pradesh bus fire accident will take 48 hours and is expected to be completed by October 27, said an official on Saturday. As many as 19 passengers travelling in the private bus and a motorbike rider were charred to death in the wee hours of Friday after it collided with a two-wheeler at Chinnatekuru village of Kurnool district. There were 44 passengers in the bus ,and several managed to escape the fire. Kurnool district collector A Siri said samples from 19 bodies were collected and sent to the Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Vijayawada. “I am informed that it (DNA profiling) will take 48 hours. We are also arranging ambulances and vehicles that day so that as and when the results come we will transport those bodies to their respective places,” Siri told PTI. Also Read Private bus catches fire in Kurnool, death toll at 20 Out of the 19 bodies, one could not be identified as no one claimed it, she said, while the DNA profiling w...

Bengaluru: The Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association (GBITCIA) urged government agencies and stakeholders to conduct a thorough investigation into the bus accident in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, that left 20 people dead. The association called for urgent action by transport authorities and service providers to ensure the highest safety standards for all intercity commuters, particularly those connected to the technology sector. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time,” GBITCIA said in a statement. 36 passengers connected to IT corridor: GBITCIA Citing initial information, the association said 36 of the passengers were connected to the IT corridor, highlighting the tragedy’s profound impact on the technology ecosystem. “It is deeply distressing to learn that two software engineers are among those who have lost their lives,” it added. Urging authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and implement...

Hyderabad: The South Central Railway (SCR) has announced special trains to clear the festive rush. A special train (No. 07642) will run between Machilipatnam and Charlapalli on October 24, while the return train (No. 07641), between Charlapalli and Machilipatnam, will start on October 26. These trains will halt at Gudivada, Vijayawada , Guntur, Sattenapalli, Nadikude, Miryalaguda and Nalgonda stations in both directions. Similarly, train No. 07093 will run between Charlapalli and Barauni on October 25, and the return service (No. 07094), Barauni–Charlapalli, will operate on October 27. These trains will stop at Jangaon, Kazipet, Peddapalli, Mancherial, Sirpur Kaghaznagar, Balharshah, Chanda Fort, Gondia, Durg, Raipur, Bilaspur, Jharsuguda, Rourkela, Ranchi, Muri, Bokaro Steel City, Dhanbad, Chittaranjan, Madhupur, and Jasidih stations in both directions. Train No. 07635 will operate from Nanded and Panipat between October 30 and November 4, while return train (No. 0763...

In a horrific accident, a private bus from Hyderabad to Bengaluru caught fire after hitting a bike in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh in the wee hours of Friday, October 24. Kaveri Travels was carrying 41 people were travelling in the bus, including the driver when the accident took place. Most of the passengers belonged to Hyderabad, Kurnool district collector A Siri said. How fire accident happened Preliminary investigation has revealed that when the Kaveri Travels bus, bearing the number plate DD01N9490, Chinna Tekur- Ullindakonda Cross Roads in Kurnool mandal at around 3.30 am, it hit a bike, travelling in the same direction. As a result, the bike slipped and hit the bus’s diesel tank, resulting in a fierce blaze. The fire initially began at the front portion of the bus but soon spread to the inner compartments where the passengers were asleep. A Hyderabad-bound private bus caught fire following a collision with a two-wheeler, near Chinnatekur in Kurnool district, An...

Bengaluru: There was rumbling in the ruling Congress on Thursday following Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra’s statement that his father was in the fag end of his political career and that the Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi is a leader with similar progressive ideological thinking. Amid talks of leadership change, Yathindra’s statement led to speculation on whether he was speaking about the successor to his father. While Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is a strong contender for the post, preferred not to comment immediately, Jarkiholi said Yathindra has only expressed his personal view. Jarkiholi, however, made it clear that he would lay claim to the top post in 2028 when the state goes for the Assembly election. Addressing a gathering at Chikkodi in Belagavi district on Wednesday, Yathindra said, “He (Siddaramaiah) is at the fag end of his political life. At such a time, a leader is needed to guide and lead those who have progressive thinkin...