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Shivamogga: The Dussehra ‘Jamboo Savari’ procession was cut short on Wednesday, October 21, after an elephant carrying the howdah went out of control, triggering panic among spectators. No one, including the mahout, was injured, sources said. The elephant, Somanna, was carrying the silver howdah bearing the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari when it suddenly changed direction and turned back as the procession moved from Shivappa Nayaka Palace in the Kote area of the city. The silver howdah fell to the ground and was damaged, police officials said. The elephant also damaged two cars and three motorcycles as it ran amok, they said. Dasara procession turns to tragedy in Shivamogga. The elephant carrying the Ambari runs amok across the streets damaging buildings and vehicles before coming to a halt as the 650 kilo silver ambari it was carrying falls down. pic.twitter.com/zQlPX4HuOg — Deepak Bopanna (@dpkBopanna) October 21, 2026 Forest department personnel struggle...

Raichur : Sindhanur Rural police have arrested Pampesh, a resident of Huda village in Sindhanur taluk, for allegedly circulating a manipulated photograph of Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge on social media. The accused allegedly edited a photograph of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by superimposing Kharge’s face on it and shared the image online, triggering a complaint over the allegedly derogatory content. Ramanna Gonwar approached the Sindhanur Rural police and filed a complaint against Pampesh. Following the complaint, police registered a case and arrested the accused. The investigation is under way. The incident has occurred against the backdrop of an ongoing political dispute over the permission process for RSS route marches planned for Vijayadashami. Kharge, who handles the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and IT-BT portfolios, has insisted that the RSS must follow the prescribed procedure before organising its marches. He has said that merely infor...

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has called on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to obtain formal permission for its Vijayadashami route marches by submitting applications in the prescribed format and furnishing all required details. Kharge made the statement in a social media post in which he shared a letter reportedly submitted by RSS workers to a Bengaluru police station regarding a proposed procession. He said that simply informing the police or asking the Home Department to cooperate and make arrangements could not be treated as permission. My dearest Swayamsevaks of the RSS, Hope the Dasara festivities are in full swing! Not to be a wet blanket, but a gentle reminder, merely “informing” or telling the Home Department to “cooperate” or “make necessary arrangements” is not the same as obtaining permission. Please… pic.twitter.com/pHrPjIMEpr — Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) October 20, 2026 Addressing RSS volunteers, the m...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court has declined to interfere with a culpable homicide charge against a man accused of allowing his 14-year-old son to drive a car that allegedly killed three members of a family. The court stressed that public roads cannot be turned into playgrounds for children and that vehicle steering wheels are not toys to be placed in their hands. Justice M. Nagaprasanna made the observations while considering a petition filed by Nadeem Ur Rahman, the boy’s father. He had challenged the chargesheet filed by the N.R. police and sought to have the charge under Section 304(2) of the Indian Penal Code dropped. Calling the accident heartbreaking, the court said the legal prohibition on minors driving vehicles served an important purpose. It observed that people who allow those who are untrained and legally unqualified to drive cannot claim protection from the consequences of a tragedy arising from such conduct. The court indicated that the allegati...

Shivamogga: Former deputy chief minister of Karnataka K.S. Eshwarappa has sought police protection after alleging that two people threatened to kill him during separate phone calls. He submitted a complaint to Shivamogga SP Nikhil, asking the police to take stringent action and ensure his family’s safety. The alleged incident took place on October 17. Eshwarappa’s complaint names Rizwan Baig, who reportedly called him at 8.49 pm, and Farhan Rashid, who allegedly contacted him at 10.49 pm. According to Eshwarappa, the callers used offensive language and made threats against his life. Speaking to the media, Eshwarappa said he was at a cinema theatre with his family when he received the first call. The caller initially asked whether he was speaking to K.S. Eshwarappa. After confirming his identity, Eshwarappa asked the caller why he was calling, but the conversation allegedly turned abusive. ‘Caller said he was free to lodge police complaint’ He said he ...

Bengaluru : A 42-year-old advocate was shot dead allegedly by two of his tenants following a dispute over non-payment of rent at his residence here, police said on Monday, October 19. The deceased is identified as Manjunath, a resident of Pattandur Agrahara. The incident occurred around midnight on Sunday, they said, adding that the two accused work as delivery boys . A preliminary investigation revealed that an argument had broken out between the advocate and the accused about an hour before the shooting over non-payment of rent, a senior police officer said. The advocate sustained a gunshot wound to the head and died, the officer said. The accused fled the scene soon after the firing. A case has been registered at Whitefield police station, and efforts are underway to trace and arrest the suspects, police said, adding that further investigation is underway. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics a...

Bengaluru: A woman undertrial prisoner was caught allegedly trying to carry Rs 11,500 into Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru, prompting prison authorities to file a police complaint and launch an investigation. The woman was returning to the prison after attending a court hearing when she was subjected to the mandatory security check at the main entrance. During the frisking process, female prison staff reportedly discovered the cash she had allegedly concealed in an attempt to take it inside the facility. Cash and other prohibited items are not permitted to be brought into the prison without authorisation. The alertness of the staff helped uncover the alleged violation before the woman could enter the premises with the money. Motive remains unclear Officials suspect that the cash may have been intended for unauthorised transactions among inmates. However, the motive behind the alleged attempt remains unclear, and investigators are working to determine ...

Bengaluru : Central intelligence officials, assisted by Kalaburagi police, have detained a West Bengal native working in the city’s Saraf Bazaar over suspected connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The man, identified as Mamatazwul Malik, reportedly worked at a jewellery shop with his brother. Investigators suspect that he was in contact with individuals associated with the Pakistan-based outfit through social media and had allegedly exchanged sensitive information through messages. The detention took place within the jurisdiction of Brahmapur police station. Malik is being questioned as investigators seek to establish whether the suspected online contacts were linked to any illegal activity. No final conclusions about his alleged involvement have been made public. The development follows other investigations in Karnataka involving suspected communications with Pakistan -based individuals and extremist networks. On October 1, the National Investigation Agency arre...

Bengaluru : Parents have accused Presidency PU College on Kogilu Road of mistreating students who sought Dasara holidays, alleging that they were confined to a classroom, threatened by bouncers and later issued transfer certificates. Following complaints from parents, police have registered two cases against college head Salman. The cases have been booked under provisions relating to intimidation and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, police said. The incident reportedly began on October 13, when a group of 15 to 20 students approached the principal and requested a break for the Dasara festival. The college management allegedly turned down their request. According to the parents, the students returned to college the next day but were allegedly made to stay inside a computer classroom. Their identity cards were reportedly taken away, and they were kept there from morning until evening. The complaints state that bouncers were brought to the c...

Bengaluru: Three para athletes supported by CBM India Trust have been selected to represent India at the Asian Para Games 2026, scheduled from October 18 to 24 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The athletes are Mohammad Shams Aalam Shaikh in para swimming, Savita V Ajjanakatti in para table tennis and Sujith MS in para athletics. Savita, from Karnataka’s Belagavi district, has won medals at state, national and international competitions. In 2025-26, she secured eight medals five golds, one silver and two bronzes. She recently won bronze in the women’s singles Class 8 event at the ITTF World Para Future Aktobe 2026 in Kazakhstan . Ranked 18th globally in Sport Class 8, she will compete in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. Shams has previously held world no 1 rankings in the men’s 100m butterfly S5 and 50m breaststroke SB4 categories. He completed a 13-km open-water swim in the Ganga in November 2024 and won bronze at the Para Swim Open Falkenberg in May 2026. The upco...

Bengaluru:  Students taking Karnataka’s Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) and Pre-University Course (PUC) examinations will likely have two main examinations from this academic year, instead of the three held over the past two years. The Department of School Education plans to make the change after the state recorded a high pass percentage last year. Under the revised system, the department is expected to place greater emphasis on preparing students for the two examinations. The three-examination format had given students extra chances to improve their scores. With one attempt fewer, students will need to plan their studies carefully, complete the syllabus on time, revise key topics and practise with previous question papers. Teachers and education officials have been asked to help students adjust to the new system. Timetable released Meanwhile, the provisional timetable for the 2027 second-year Pre-University Course (II PUC) Examination 1 has...

Bengaluru : Sudha Yadav was sworn in as the Governor of Karnataka on Friday, October 16. She replaced Thaawar Chand Gehlot, who had been holding the office since July 11, 2021. Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court Vibhu Bakhru administered the oath of office to her at an event held at Lok Bhavan, the Governor’s House. State Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh read out the Warrant of Appointment. After the swearing-in, the new governor received the guard of honour. Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and his cabinet colleagues, senior administrative and police officials were present on the occasion. President Droupadi Murmu on Monday appointed Kargil war widow and BJP leader Sudha Yadav, 61, as the new Governor of Karnataka. Yadav, a former MP and member of the BJP’s parliamentary board, is Karnataka’s second woman governor after V S Ramadevi, who held office from December 1999 to August 2002. Yadav holds a doctorate in Chemistry ...

Madanapalli : A domestic dispute allegedly ended in murder at a private lodge in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh, where a 29-year-old woman from Karnataka was found dead. Her husband allegedly attacked her following an argument over suspected infidelity and later surrendered to the police. The victim, Rubia Taj, hailed from Mulbagal in Karnataka’s Kolar district. She had been married to Shake Naveed Basha, popularly known as Naveen Pasha, a motorcycle mechanic, for about 13 years. The couple has four children . Reports indicate that the relationship had deteriorated amid family disputes and the husband’s suspicion of an extramarital relationship. The couple had been staying separately before relatives reportedly attempted to resolve their differences and bring them together. As part of the reconciliation effort, Naveed met Rubia at Palamaner on Wednesday. They subsequently travelled to Chittoor , where they went shopping, before reaching Madanapalle late at night. They checked...

Bengaluru: The infamous Bengaluru Ring Road murder case, which shocked Karnataka in 2003, has returned to the spotlight after the state Cabinet rejected the mercy petitions filed by Shubha Shankaranarayana and D Arun Varma, who are serving life sentences in connection with the killing of Girish, the former’s prospective husband. Home Minister Priyank Kharge announced the Cabinet’s decision after a meeting on Thursday, October 15, stating that the petitions had been rejected under the applicable legal framework. The state government will communicate its decision to the Governor, he said. The Cabinet discussed the mercy petitions and sought details from Advocate General Shashikiran Shetty, who was called to the meeting to explain the legal aspects of the case. Following the briefing, the Cabinet decided not to recommend clemency for the two convicts. The December 2003 case The case dates back to December 2003, when Girish, who worked for a software company, was att...

Mysuru: In a significant development in the rape and murder case of a nine-year-old girl who had come to Mysuru to sell balloons during Dussehra, a fast-track court has convicted the accused, 32-year-old Karthik. The court will pronounce the sentence on Friday, October 16. Judge Anil P Waghade of the Fast Track Special Court-1 delivered the verdict after the prosecution presented its case against the accused. The incident, which occurred during last year’s Dussehra celebrations, had sparked widespread anger and demands for justice across Karnataka. The girl had travelled to Mysuru with her family, who had come to the city to sell balloons and toys during the festival. The family had established a temporary shelter near Dodda Kere Maidan, opposite Mysuru Palace, where several itinerant vendors had gathered for business. According to the prosecution’s case, the child was taken away from her family in the early hours of October 9 last year. She was allegedly raped...

Bengaluru: A dispute dating back nearly a year allegedly culminated in a shooting near the NICE Road flyover at Pillaganahalli in Bengaluru, where real estate businessman Sampangi reportedly fired three rounds at Srinivas, also known as Mental Seena, on the evening of Wednesday, October 14. Srinivas suffered bullet injuries to his leg and was rushed to a private hospital . The Konanakunte police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. Police sources said Srinivas had previously worked as a driver for Sampangi. Their relationship reportedly deteriorated following a disagreement over a personal issue. Srinivas was subsequently dismissed from the job about a year ago, but the dispute between the two allegedly continued. The disagreement had earlier led to a police complaint. Around a month ago, Sampangi approached the Konanakunte police, alleging that Srinivas had attacked him with a machete. An FIR was registered following the complaint. The late...

Bengaluru: A road accident involving a Range Rover and a truck transporting LPG cylinders claimed the life of a 36-year-old real estate businessman and BJP leader near Devanahalli on Tuesday night, October 13. Four passengers and the vehicle’s driver suffered serious injuries. The deceased, Shivakumar M., hailed from Madanahatti village in Malur taluk of Kolar district and operated Aishwarya Developers, a real estate business in Malur. He was reportedly preparing to contest the next Assembly election from the Molakalmuru constituency in the Chitradurga district. The crash occurred at around 7.30 pm near Rani Cross Flyover on National Highway 648. Shivakumar and his companions were travelling back to Malur after attending a Veera Madakari Nayaka Jayanti event in Chitradurga. The injured passengers were identified as Vinod Kumar, Pradeep and Chandan, while Pavan was driving the Range Rover. All four were admitted to a private hospital in Devanahalli. Details of the ...

Bengaluru : Sugarcane farmers across Karnataka intensified their agitation demanding better prices for their produce, blocking major highways and holding overnight protests in several districts. The demonstrations against the Union and state governments disrupted traffic, stranded vehicles for kilometres and caused inconvenience to passengers and transport operators. The agitation spread across Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Haveri and Dharwad, as well as Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar. Thousands of farmers participated, insisting that their long-pending demands be addressed without further delay. The protesters have demanded a minimum price of Rs 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane, an increase in the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP), a hike in the minimum selling price of sugar and announcement of a State Advised Price (SAP). They have also sought implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations and procurement of all ethanol produced in Karn...

Bengaluru : An IAS officer belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, Vikas Marmath, and three of his friends have been booked for allegedly assaulting a Central Crime Branch (CCB) inspector at a pub under Cubbon Park police station limits in Bengaluru. According to the complaint, Marmath visited the Kavoor pub with his friends Nitesh, Abhay Uday Singh and Roshan. At around 1.30 am, CCB personnel arrived at the establishment for a routine inspection and asked the group to produce their identity cards. Marmath allegedly became angry over the request, abused the police personnel and slapped an inspector who questioned his behaviour. He is also accused of threatening the officers by claiming that he was an IAS officer and challenging them to take action against him. Following the incident, a complaint was lodged at Cubbon Park police station. Police registered a criminal case against Marmath and his three friends for the alleged assault and misconduct. Further investigation is...

Bengaluru : Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has filed a petition before the Bengaluru City Civil Court, seeking protection against the circulation of allegedly defamatory and derogatory messages, social media posts and videos about him. Advocate Praveen Kamath submitted the application on behalf of Siddaramaiah on Monday, requesting an injunction to prevent the publication and distribution of videos and other material alleged to be objectionable and harmful to his reputation. The petition names several media organisations and social media platforms as respondents. Siddaramaiah’s counsel has urged the court to intervene and restrain the dissemination of content that the former Chief Minister considers defamatory. The legal move seeks to address the alleged circulation of objectionable material across media outlets and digital platforms. The petition asks the court to issue directions preventing further distribution of the disputed videos and messages. T...

Bengaluru: In a significant setback to Karnataka’s reservation policy, the High Court has quashed the state’s decision to raise the reservation quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to 17 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively. A bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha passed the order while considering a public interest litigation filed by Mahendra Kumar Mitra. The petitioner had challenged the law providing enhanced reservation in educational institutions and state government services under the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation) Act, 2022. The government’s decision had increased the combined reservation for SCs and STs from 18 per cent to 24 per cent, taking the state’s overall reservation percentage from 50 per cent to 56 per cent. The High Court has now struck down the measure that enabled the increase. Before the revision, Scheduled Castes were entitled to a 15 per cent reservati...

Hassan : A 58-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing a 67-year-old woman over a loan repayment dispute and throwing her body into a canal in Arakalagudu taluk. Police identified the accused as Ramesh, who allegedly murdered Lakshmamma and stole approximately 120 grams of her gold jewellery. The case came to light after Lakshmamma’s body was discovered inside a plastic bag in a canal near Bettadahalli village on October 7. She had gone missing four days earlier, on October 3, after informing her husband that she was travelling to Vijikoppalu. During the investigation, police traced the case to Ramesh. According to investigators, he offered Lakshmamma a lift on his motorcycle and took her to a secluded place near Bettadahalli. He allegedly assaulted her by slapping her and then strangled her. After the killing, he removed her jewellery, packed the body into a plastic bag and disposed of it in the canal. Police said the alleged motive was a financial dispute. La...

Mangaluru : Students of the prestigious St Agnes College in Mangaluru staged a protest against the management for scheduling undergraduate semester examinations during the Dasara festival and holiday period. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) supported the students, who accused the college administration of ignoring their request to postpone the examinations. The college, located near Bendorewell in Mangaluru, has scheduled semester examinations for undergraduate students from October 12 to October 28. Students said the examination schedule would prevent them from celebrating Dasara and participating in the Mangaluru Dasara festivities . According to the protesting students, they had approached the college management in advance and requested a postponement of the examinations. However, they alleged that the administration failed to respond positively and decided to proceed with the existing schedule. Angered by the decision, hundreds of students boycotted the...