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Koppal: Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy on Monday, August 31, sought to clarify his controversial remarks on Islam while visiting the Anjaneya temple in Yelburga and the Maddaneshwara Mutt in Bodur village in Koppal district. Rayareddy offered special prayers at the Anjaneya temple before visiting the mutt and seeking the blessings of the seer. His temple visit came amid criticism over his recent statement that Islam was superior to other religions. Responding to questions from the media, Rayareddy challenged critics to discuss Hinduism with him. “Let those who follow Hinduism debate with me. Let them tell me who founded Hinduism,” he said. The minister insisted that his remarks had been misunderstood and that he had not described Hinduism as a bad religion. ‘Never said any religion is bad’ “I have not said that any religion is bad. I have studied the essence of all religions, and I have respect for all religions...

Dharwad : Tension prevailed at the Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha in Dharwad on Sunday, August 30, after some Hindu activists attempted to confront actor Prakash Raj, who had arrived to participate in the ‘Manushyatvadedege Samudaya’ programme. The activists alleged that Prakash Raj would speak against Hindu interests at the event and attempted to surround him. A poster of the actor was also reportedly smeared with ink during the protest. Police personnel deployed at the venue stopped a group of youths who tried to enter the auditorium. An argument subsequently broke out between the protesters and police . The protesters were later detained and taken away in a police vehicle as a precautionary measure. The programme, organised under the theme ‘Manushyatvadedege Samudaya’, focused on social and national issues and brought together participants for discussions. Speaking after the programme, Prakash Raj said the event had provided an opportunity to discuss important is...

Chikkaballapur : Doctors were left stunned after several potentially dangerous objects, including a lighter, battery cells and lock keys, were found inside the stomach of a 28-year-old man during an autopsy in Gudibande town of Chikkaballapur district on Sunday, August 30 . The deceased, Mahesh, was a resident of Nallakadirenahalli village in Chikkaballapur taluk and had reportedly been staying at his sister’s house in Bapujinagar, Gudibande, for the past few days. According to preliminary information, Mahesh was found dead at the house on Saturday when no one else was present. He was initially suspected to have died by suicide after allegedly hanging himself. However, the discovery of his body on the floor raised questions over the circumstances surrounding his death . Following the suspicious circumstances, police sent the body to the Gudibande government hospital for a postmortem examination. During the autopsy, doctors reportedly discovered several foreign objec...

Bengaluru: The 1st ACJM court has remanded IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar to judicial custody in the KPSC veterinary officer recruitment examination irregularities case. Gangwar, who was serving as the Controller of Examinations at the Karnataka Public Service Commission during the recruitment process, appeared before the CID for questioning at 11 am on Saturday, August 29. He was questioned for several hours before being taken into custody late at night. CID officials subsequently produced him before the judge at the judge’s residence in Koramangala. After hearing the case, the court ordered judicial custody and directed that Gangwar be produced before the court again the next day. The investigation concerns allegations of serious irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers. Four FIRs were registered at the Vidhana Soudha police station against the KPSC chairman and members following complaints of malpractice. As part of the investigation, complainan...

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister of Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddy has described Islam as one of the world’s greatest religions and expressed a desire to undertake the Haj pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime. Speaking at a mass marriage programme organised by the Muslim community in Kuknoor on Sunday, August 30, Rayareddy said he does not frequently visit monasteries and temples but would like to make a pilgrimage to Makkah at least once. “I have a desire to undertake Haj at least once. I do not frequently visit temples and monasteries, but I would like to go on Haj,” he said. Islam rooted in humanity, compassion Rayareddy said Islam was a religion rooted in humanity and compassion, but misconceptions about the faith were being spread in society. He said the religion teaches people how to live responsibly and peacefully in society. According to Rayareddy, the teachings of the Quran should not be viewed as being restricted only to Muslims. He said peo...

Bengaluru : The alleged KPSC veterinary officer recruitment scam has taken a new turn with the CID taking IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar into custody on Saturday August 29 after two days of intensive questioning. Kumar, who served as the Controller of Examinations at the Karnataka Public Service Commission , is being questioned over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process, including suspected question paper leakage and manipulation of marks. The CID Special Investigation Team questioned Kumar for nearly 11 hours on August 28 before resuming the interrogation at noon on August 29. Investigators reportedly took him into custody after finding inconsistencies in his statements and alleging that he was not fully cooperating with the probe. The investigating agency is expected to produce Kumar before a court after a medical examination and seek his custody for further questioning. Investigators are reportedly looking into the possible involvement of other officials and...

Bengaluru: The resignation of B Nagendra from Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s Cabinet has triggered intense lobbying within the Congress for the vacant ministerial berth, with the party leadership facing a tricky balancing act involving caste, gender and regional representation. Nagendra stepped down from the Cabinet just 25 days after taking oath amid the controversy surrounding the alleged Valmiki Corporation scam. His resignation has now opened a fresh opportunity for several Congress aspirants, with multiple names being discussed for the vacant position. One of the key demands within the party is that the vacant berth should continue to be represented by a leader from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, as Nagendra belonged to it. Senior leaders from the community are reportedly pressing the leadership to maintain its representation in the Cabinet. No woman minister, Badagi MLA name being discussed At the same time, the Shivakumar-led Cabinet has com...

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge and Congress leader Mohammed Nalapad appeared before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACJM) Court in Bengaluru on Saturday, August 29, in connection with a private complaint alleging derogatory remarks against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The case was initiated following a private complaint filed by RSS worker A. Tejas, who alleged that Kharge and Nalapad had shared or made objectionable content concerning the organisation. Taking up the complaint, the Bengaluru court had earlier issued summons directing both leaders to appear personally before it. In compliance with the court’s order, Kharge and Nalapad appeared before the court on August 29. Following their appearance, the court granted bail to both accused. The complaint pertains to alleged defamatory and derogatory content against the RSS. The complainant has sought legal action over the alleged social media post, leading to the proceedin...

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has ordered a major reshuffle in the police department, transferring 15 IPS officers in a move aimed at strengthening the administrative and policing machinery across the state. Among the significant changes, N Shashikumar, who was serving as Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner, has been transferred without a new posting. Bhushan Borase has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner of Hubballi-Dharwad. The government has also made changes at senior levels. ADGP P. Harishekaran has been transferred to the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, while ADGP Nanjundaswamy has been posted to the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission. ADGP Divyajyoti Ray has been transferred to the Crime and Technical Services division. IGP Amit Singh has been posted to the Karnataka State Reserve Police, while IGP R Chetan will take charge of the Western Range, Mangaluru. IGP Nikkam Prakash has been appointed as the Belagavi Police Commissioner. ...

Tumakuru: At least four people, including a three-year-old girl, were killed and five others seriously injured after two cars collided near Godekere Gate in Chikkanayakanahalli taluk on Friday night, August 28. The deceased have been identified as Anil, 32, and Vivek, 31, from Chikkanayakanahalli, and Davud Pasha and his three-year-old daughter Anaam from Turuvekere. According to police, the accident occurred when a Kia car travelling from Turuvekere collided with a Volkswagen car coming from the Chikkanayakanahalli side. The impact was severe, leaving both vehicles badly damaged. Five people sustained serious injuries in the crash and were shifted to a hospital for treatment. Further details about their condition were not immediately available. The accident caused temporary disruption to vehicular movement around Godekere Gate. Police reached the spot, conducted an inspection and cleared the affected stretch. A case has been registered at the Chikkanayakanahall...

Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Thursday, August 27, launched a gold and copper mining programme by Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) at Lingadahalli village in Devadurga taluk, Raichur district, Karnataka. Speaking after the launch, Vikramarka said, “All stakeholders should work together to extract gold and copper minerals on a large scale from the Devadurga mine and contribute to increasing the wealth of the nation. He recollected that Singareni Collieries had secured exploration rights for the Devadurga Block through the bidding conducted by the Centre. “Singareni would soon accelerate the exploration activities and expressed confidence that if the project succeeded and significant quantities of gold and copper were found,” Vikramarka said. He added that it would not only create large-scale employment opportunities for unemployed youth in the region but also accelerate the area’s development. ...

Bengaluru:  Students and parents protested outside the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) office in Malleshwaram on Thursday, August 27, against the authority’s decision to levy a Rs 5,000 penalty on candidates seeking to cancel seats allotted in the second round of UGCET 2026 counselling. KEA recently announced the second-round seat allotment results for engineering and other professional undergraduate courses. According to the counselling guidelines, candidates who do not wish to retain their allotted seats and want to participate in the third round must cancel their current allotment by paying Rs 5,000. The online seat cancellation facility opened on August 27 and will remain available until 3 pm on August 29. Candidates are required to log in to the KEA portal, complete the cancellation process and pay the prescribed amount. Only candidates who cancel their seats within the stipulated period will be eligible for the third round. Rule angers parents, student The ...

Bengaluru : Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on Thursday, August 27, reiterated his claim that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is an unregistered organisation and challenged it to come within the legal framework. Responding to questions about cases against the RSS , on Thursday Kharge said the absence of cases in the list he referred to was linked to the organisation’s lack of registration. He questioned why the RSS had not formally registered despite several prominent political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa and opposition leader R. Ashoka, having links with the organisation. “RSS is not registered. So why should I ban it? Come within the legal framework. You are not above everyone else,” Kharge said. Taking his challenge further, the minister offered to pay the registration fee for RSS branches in Karnataka. He said he was willing to meet the cost either from his ML...

National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, has cancelled its 34th annual convocation scheduled for September 12, days after over 700 students and alumni opposed the presence of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Bar Council of India (BCI) chairman Manan Kumar Mishra at the event. On August 3, the administration had emailed graduating students stating that the annual convocation would be held on September 12. However, a notice dated August 27 announced its cancellation due to “unavoidable circumstances,” and that students would be conferred their degrees in absentia, reported Bar and Bench. “Despite our collective best efforts, due to unavoidable circumstances, we are unable to hold the 34th Annual Convocation. All graduating students will be conferred their degrees in absentia after due approvals by the Governing Bodies,” the notice said. Students may choose to receive their certificates by courier or collect them on campus, it ad...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court has quashed the chargesheet filed against a resort owner in connection with an alleged rape of a US woman at a homestay in Kodagu, observing that there was no statutory basis to prosecute the private individual for allegedly failing to inform police about the offence. Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order while allowing a petition filed by P. Ponnappa, owner of the resort, challenging the chargesheet filed by Kutta police before the Civil and JMFC Court in Ponnampet on June 7, 2026. The court said there was insufficient evidence to establish the offences alleged against the petitioner. It also noted that the Foreigners Act , 1946, had been repealed with effect from September 1, 2025. The prosecution had invoked provisions of the Foreigners Act as well as Section 239 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alleging that Ponnappa had failed to provide information to police after the alleged incident. The High Court observed that ...

Bengaluru : Three cases had been registered and six people arrested in connection with a clash during an Eid Milad procession in Basavanagudi here on Wednesday, August 26, the police said. The incident occurred on KR road after a procession from Kumaraswamy Layout crossed the Banashankari police limits and entered Basavanagudi. “Punith Kerehalli of the Rashtra Rakshana Pade and others came there holding saffron flags and raising slogans of ‘ Jai Shri Ram ‘,” police said in a statement on Thursday. The outfit members allegedly attempted to provoke members of the Muslim procession and asked them not to raise slogans. Police said that when their personnel intervened, some Muslim youths allegedly attacked a person identified as Murali with an unidentified weapon. Kerehalli and his associates subsequently staged a protest and raised slogans, the police said. The injured person was later shifted to Victoria Hospital by police personnel, while Ke...

Bengaluru : The Bengaluru Traffic Police Department is inviting citizens to experience the challenges of managing the city’s congested roads through its ‘Cap for a Day’ initiative. The programme, being conducted for the second time, will allow selected citizens to spend a day with traffic police personnel and understand the responsibilities involved in regulating traffic and tackling congestion at busy junctions. The initiative is aimed at bridging the gap between motorists and traffic police. While commuters frequently complain about delays and traffic jams, the department wants citizens to understand the challenges officers face while keeping traffic moving during peak hours. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Karthik Reddy said the programme would provide citizens with an opportunity to experience the duties of traffic police and understand the challenges they encounter on the roads. ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಸಂಚಾರ ದಟ್ಟಣೆಯನ್ನು ಮುಂಚೂಣಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತು ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸಲು ಏನೇನು ಸವಾಲುಗಳನ್ನು ಎದುರಿ...

Bengaluru: An Indian passenger was on Wednesday, August 26, apprehended by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Bengaluru airport for trying to smuggle 82 grams of suspected gold by concealing it in capsules placed inside his mouth, an officer said. The incident took place at Terminal 1 of the Kempegowda International Airport around 7:30 am when the male traveller was undergoing security frisking by the personnel to board a flight to Ghaziabad. He had landed early morning from Dubai , the officer said. “During routine passenger security screening, CISF personnel noticed that the passenger was behaving suspiciously and was not responding appropriately during the screening process,” the CISF officer said. Two capsules containing suspected gold weighing about 82 grams were found concealed inside the passenger’s mouth, the officer said, adding the man was handed over to the local police for further investigation. VIDEO | Bengaluru: I...

Chamarajanagar: The controversy surrounding the killing of three suspected poachers in an alleged forest department encounter in Hanur has taken a fresh turn, with a purported audio clip circulating on social media triggering concerns over attempts to create tension along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. The audio clip, allegedly featuring a person identified as Divyananda, described as the president of an organisation called ‘Tiger of Justice’, contains provocative statements targeting the government and appealing to members of the Tamil-speaking community to unite. In the purported recording, the speaker alleges that members of the Tamil community were killed and claims that people who migrated from Tamil Nadu were being denied social justice. The speaker also makes references to alleged discrimination and calls upon members of the community to oppose what he describes as domination by Kannadigas. The authenticity of the audio and the identity of the person speaking in ...

Bengaluru: The CCB’s Special Investigation Team has busted an alleged high-tech gambling cheating racket and arrested five persons accused of using digital card scanners and sophisticated electronic gadgets to manipulate card games and cheat wealthy players of large sums of money. The arrested have been identified as Tabrez, Syed Ali, Abthalla, Nakeeb and Abdul. According to police, the accused targeted financially well-off individuals and invited them to gambling sessions after allegedly arranging the games in their favour. Investigators said the gang used specialised devices to scan playing cards and obtain information about the cards during the game. The technology allegedly enabled them to know which cards were likely to benefit them before their opponents could understand the situation. Discreet electronic gadgets to pull off deception Police said the accused used discreet electronic equipment, including smartwatches, miniature wireless earbuds and devices re...

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has suspended food licences granted to e-commerce platforms Amazon, Swiggy, Instamart and BigBasket for selling toxic datura fruit and its seeds as edible products. The Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) made the recommendation under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Rules, 2011, to the Central Food Safety Authority in Bengaluru. The action comes after the department found that some e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms were listing datura fruit and seeds as fit for human consumption, complete with FSSAI licence and registration numbers, and promoting them for sale. Datura, known in English as ‘Devil’s Trumpet’ or ‘Mad Apple’, is a highly poisonous plant. Its seeds, flowers and fruit can cause respiratory distress, severe intoxication, hallucinations and even death if consumed. “Datura fruit and seeds are toxic. Their consumption can cause serious harm to human health. Selli...

Bengaluru : A Bengaluru court has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against BJP MLC N Ravikumar for repeatedly failing to appear before it in connection with a case registered over allegedly derogatory and communally provocative remarks against Kalaburagi Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum. The warrant was issued by 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sandeep Patil after Ravikumar remained absent despite summons being served in the case. The matter relates to remarks allegedly made by the BJP legislator during a protest in Kalaburagi last year. Following the remarks, the Station Bazaar police in Kalaburagi registered an FIR against Ravikumar. The case was subsequently brought before the Bengaluru court for proceedings. The court had issued summons directing the MLC to appear and face the proceedings. However, Ravikumar did not appear before the court, prompting the magistrate to take a stricter view of his continued absence and issue the non-bailable war...