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Kannur: Four people died in a car accident near Koodali here while travelling to attend a wedding, police said on Saturday, July 11. The incident occurred around 11.20 pm on Friday, July 10, when the car crashed into a tree and was completely wrecked. There were five youths, all between the ages of 20-23 years, in the car and only one of them survived, but is in a critical condition, police said. Of those who died, two were from Kerala, one person was from Hyderabad and the fourth was from Uttar Pradesh, an officer of Mattanur police station said. The one person who survived is a Thrissur native, the officer said. “They were coming from Bengaluru to attend the wedding of one of their relatives in Kannur when the accident occurred. The extensive damage to the vehicle indicates it was travelling at high speed,” he said. The bodies will be handed over to the families after the inquest and postmortem procedures are completed, police said. Get the la...

Bengaluru: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President BK Hariprasad on Friday, July 10, courted controversy by alleging that major violent incidents had followed previous Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) meetings and questioned the purpose of the organisation’s ongoing national conclave in Belagavi. He also intensified his attack on the BJP over the alleged Ayodhya Ram Temple fund irregularities, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Hariprasad said he did not know why the RSS had convened its annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak meeting in Belagavi. He claimed that whenever such meetings had taken place in the past, incidents such as the killings of rationalist MM Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh had followed. He said the outcome of the present meeting should be watched before drawing conclusions, a statement that has triggered political controversy. ...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka government has kick-started preparations for the world-famous Mysuru Dasara 2026, with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar chairing a high-level preparatory meeting at Vidhana Soudha on Friday. The meeting finalised the schedule for the 10-day state festival, with the inauguration set for October 11 at 11.50 am atop Chamundi Hill and the grand Vijayadashami Jumbo Savari on October 21. The Dasara elephant camp will officially begin its ‘Gajapayana’ on July 26, while the traditional welcome ceremony for the elephant squad will be held at the Mysuru Palace entrance on August 26 after a special puja. The state festival will be formally inaugurated on October 11 during the auspicious Dhanur Lagna at Chamundi Hill. On Vijayadashami, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will perform the traditional Nandi Dhwaja Puja before the iconic Jumbo Savari procession begins. Later, floral tributes will be offered to Goddess Chamundeshwari seated atop the Golden Howdah. The...

Chikkaballapura: Frequent sightings of sloth bears around Nandi Hills have triggered concern among tourists and residents, prompting the Chikkaballapur Forest Department to issue a public advisory. CCTV footage has captured bears roaming near resorts, hotels and residential areas surrounding the hill station, which draws thousands of visitors daily, particularly on weekends. Residents say groups of bears emerge from the surrounding forests after nightfall and move close to resorts, hotels and houses. In one incident, CCTV cameras at a resort near Karahalli Cross recorded a bear jumping over the compound fence and entering the premises before returning to the forest. Forest officials have advised tourists and residents not to panic if they encounter a bear. They have cautioned against running, throwing stones, or trying to scare the animals away by lighting fires, warning that such actions could provoke an attack. The advisory asks people to maintain a safe distance and stay ...

Belagavi: Belagavi has been placed under tight security as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) begins its three-day annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak (All India Prant Pracharak Meeting) on Friday, July 10. RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale and the organisation’s senior leadership are participating in the high-level deliberations. The meeting is being held at Sant Meera School in Angol, the RSS office at Shastri Nagar and the Foundry Cluster in Udyambag. The main deliberations are taking place at Sant Meera School, where elaborate security arrangements have been made. Entry has been restricted to invited delegates, while public access has been prohibited. Senior RSS functionaries, including Sah Sarkaryavahs Dr. Krishnagopal, C.R. Mukunda, Arun Kumar, Ramdutt, Alok Kumar and Atul Limaye, have already arrived in Belagavi. More than 130 representatives, including Prant Pracharaks, Sah Prant Pracharaks, Kshetra Pracharaks ...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka Lokayukta on Wednesday carried out simultaneous raids on the residences and offices of 10 government officials across seven districts in connection with alleged disproportionate assets, unearthing cash, gold, luxury properties, agricultural land and other valuable assets running into crores of rupees. The statewide operation targeted officials serving in Bengaluru, Bengaluru South, Raichur, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Kalaburagi and Tumakuru. In Bengaluru , Lokayukta teams searched 14 locations linked to three officials. Searches were conducted at the residence and office of Public Works Department Executive Engineer Narendra Kumar, while raids were also carried out at the properties of APMC Deputy Director (Administration) Pushpa D.R. in Govindarajanagar and KRIDL Superintendent Praveen B. Sri Hari, including his sprawling farmhouse near Kanakapura. Officials reportedly recovered around 1.5 kg of gold ornaments from Pushpa’s residence. Preliminar...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka government has directed all gram panchayats across the state to establish dedicated Help and Facilitation Centres to assist citizens in applying for the newly introduced Permanent Resident Certificate. According to an order issued by the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Commissionerate under the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, each centre must be equipped with essential infrastructure, including computers, internet connectivity, printers and scanners, to enable seamless submission of applications . The centres should also provide adequate seating and other basic amenities for applicants. The government has instructed gram panchayats to prominently display the Panchamitra Helpline number (8277506000) at the facilitation counters so that citizens can seek assistance whenever required. The Help and Facilitation Centres will be managed by the Data Entry Operator working in the respective gram panchayat, while the Panchayat Development Offic...

Bengaluru ;The Karnataka government has issued an official order introducing a Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) for eligible residents of the state. The Revenue Department has also released detailed guidelines outlining the eligibility criteria and the procedure for issuing the certificate. According to the government order, applicants must have continuously resided in Karnataka for at least 10 years to qualify for the certificate . The condition can also be fulfilled if the applicant’s parents or legal guardians have been permanent residents of the state for a minimum of 10 consecutive years. The certificate will be issued only after the competent authority conducts a thorough verification and is satisfied that the applicant is a genuine and permanent resident of Karnataka. Officials have been directed to examine documentary, electronic or oral evidence submitted by applicants before approving the request. The government has instructed authorities to process a...

Bengaluru: Freight transport across South India could be severely affected from August 1 as truck owners have announced plans for an indefinite strike over a series of unresolved demands, including the mandatory installation of GPS devices and panic buttons in commercial vehicles. South India Motor Transport Association (SIMA) president GR Shanmugappa said the strike would begin if governments failed to respond positively before July 30. He said around 24 lakh lorries across the southern states, including nearly seven lakh in Karnataka, would participate in the protest. The association alleged that the implementation of GPS and panic button requirements has been marked by wide variations in charges across different states. Shanmugappa claimed that installation costs ranged from Rs 3,000 to Rs 15,000 despite the equipment serving the same purpose, and described the situation as an irregularity that warranted immediate investigation. He questioned why the requirement was b...

Belagavi : RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat arrived in Belagavi on the evening of Monday, July 6, to attend the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s annual All India Prant Pracharak meeting, which will be held in the city from July 10 to 12. Mohan Bhagwat reached Sambra Airport by a special flight from Hyderabad and was welcomed by senior RSS office-bearers, including Prant Pracharaks and Kshetra Pracharaks. Tight security arrangements were put in place from the airport to Udyambag, with police personnel deployed along the route. The annual conclave will be organised at Sant Meera School in Anagol, the Foundry Cluster Guest House in Udyambag and Jagannathrao Joshi Smarak Bhavan on Goods Shed Road. Bhagwat is expected to stay in Belagavi until July 14 and will participate in internal discussions and preparations beginning July 7. The meeting will bring together senior organisational leaders from across the country, including Prant Pracharaks, Sah Prant Pracharaks, Kshetr...

Mangaluru: Padma Shri awardee Dr Girish Bharadwaj, widely known as the “Bridge Man of India” for revolutionising low-cost suspension bridge construction in rural areas, passed away at a private hospital in Sullia early on Tuesday, July 7. He was 76. Dr Bharadwaj had been undergoing treatment for a heart-related ailment and was admitted to KVG Hospital a few days ago after his health deteriorated. He breathed his last in the early hours of Tuesday. National recognition for constructing more than 140 suspension bridges An engineer by profession, Dr Bharadwaj earned national recognition for constructing more than 140 suspension bridges across India, connecting remote villages that had long remained cut off due to the absence of road infrastructure. His innovative and cost-effective bridge designs transformed the lives of thousands of people in rural communities. In recognition of his extraordinary contribution to rural infrastructure and engineering innovation...

Bengaluru : Seventy-two-year-old Saibanna Ningappa Natikar walked out of Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison on Saturday, July 4, after spending 37 years behind bars, making him one of the longest-serving prisoners in the country. Released on the grounds of good conduct along with 23 other life convicts, Saibanna’s freedom marks the end of a prison term that has drawn attention to questions of punishment, rehabilitation and criminal justice in India. With long white hair, a flowing beard and slow, measured steps, Saibanna emerged from prison after nearly four decades of incarceration. Prison officials described him as the country’s longest-serving inmate, while Director General of Prisons Alok Kumar said Saibanna had maintained good conduct throughout his years in custody. According to Kumar, he had interacted with Saibanna during his postings in Belagavi and Kalaburagi prisons and found his behaviour to be disciplined. Saibanna, a native of Jevargi ...

Shivamogga : Even as several parts of Karnataka continue to grapple with deficient monsoon rainfall, incessant showers in the Malnad region have brought cheer to farmers in Shivamogga district, with the Tunga Reservoir reaching its full capacity and becoming the first major dam in the state to fill up this monsoon season. Heavy rainfall over the past three days has significantly increased inflows into the reservoir. Officials said the dam is currently receiving an inflow of 20,565 cusecs, prompting the authorities to release 18,051 cusecs of water into the Tunga River through 12 spillway gates as a precautionary measure to maintain safe storage levels. The reservoir has attained its Full Reservoir Level (FRL) of 588.24 metres and is holding its full storage capacity of 3.24 TMC of water, bringing much-needed relief to farmers dependent on the irrigation project. However, the release of large volumes of water has raised concerns over a possible rise in river levels down...

Bengaluru : The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ayodhya Sri Ram Mandir has unearthed fresh details that point to a wider and more organised network than initially suspected. While the investigation first focused on the alleged theft of cash offerings from the temple’s donation boxes, officials now claim that gold and silver ornaments donated by devotees were also systematically diverted. The alleged involvement of a network extending to Karnataka has added a new dimension to the high-profile probe. According to sources associated with the investigation, the SIT has so far seized more than ₹80 lakh in cash from eight accused persons. However, investigators are yet to recover the gold ornaments allegedly stolen from the temple, with officials suspecting that hundreds of people may have played different roles in the operation over a prolonged period. Investigators believe the alleged fraud began during the process of...

A Bengaluru-based woman has highlighted how her father prioritised her education over marriage despite working as an auto-rickshaw driver for more than three decades. The story was shared in an Instagram reel by Growing with Artha, in which the woman said her father has been driving an auto-rickshaw for over 35 years and still drops her at the bus stop in his vehicle whenever she leaves for Bengaluru. She said her education, from nursery through graduation, was made possible by her father’s hard work and sacrifices. While many families knew they were saving money for their daughters’ weddings, her father chose instead to invest in the education of his daughters. “The greatest gift he gave me was not education, but independence,” she said. The woman added that her father always encouraged her and her sister and never made them feel there were things they could not do simply because they were daughters. She also shared that she and her sister s...

Bengaluru: Several passengers were injured after two BMTC buses collided near the busy KR Circle junction, a short distance from Vidhana Soudha, on Saturday morning, July 4. The impact of the collision left multiple commuters trapped inside the bus, prompting a rescue operation by emergency personnel. According to preliminary information, the accident occurred during the morning rush hour when traffic was heavy at the KR Circle signal. A BMTC Vayu Vajra bus had stopped at the traffic signal when another BMTC ordinary service bus, reportedly travelling at high speed, rammed into it from behind. "ಸಂಚಾರ ಸಲಹೆ" ಮಹಾರಾಣಿ ಕಾಲೇಜು ಅಪ್ಪರ್ ರ‍್ಯಾಂಪ್ ಬಳಿ ಅಪಘಾತ ಸಂಭವಿಸಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಕೆ.ಆರ್ ವೃತ್ತದ ಕಡೆಗೆ ನಿಧಾನಗತಿಯ ಸಂಚಾರವಿರುತ್ತದೆ. " Traffic advisory” Due to an accident near Maharani College Upper Ramp, towards K.R Circle is having slow moving traffic. pic.twitter.com/ZMvgi6okt8 — ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಸಂಚಾರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ BengaluruTrafficPolice (@blrcitytraffic) July 4, 2026 Force of collisio...

Bengaluru: A routine late-night police check in Bengaluru has led to the arrest of an alleged drug peddler and the seizure of a large cache of weapons, suspected stolen mobile phones, and narcotics. The operation, carried out by Byatarayanapura Police, has exposed what investigators believe could be a wider criminal network involving drug trafficking and mobile phone theft. The accused, identified as Akbar Sharif, was apprehended after police found him moving suspiciously on a motorcycle around 10:50 pm on July 1. Officers intercepted the vehicle and conducted a search, during which they recovered several deadly weapons. A case was immediately registered against him under the Arms Act. Acting on information obtained during the interrogation, police searched the accused’s residence and made a series of shocking recoveries. Officials seized 17 deadly weapons, 230 Android mobile phones, and 700 grams of ganja allegedly concealed inside the house. Speaking about the op...

New Delhi: The NHRC on Friday, July 3, said it has issued a notice to the Karnataka government and the state’s police chief over reports that some toddlers were allegedly treated inhumanely by nannies at a creche operating on an IT company’s premises in Bengaluru. Reportedly, the incident came to light after a child helpline official received videos depicting “cruelty towards toddlers”, related to professionals working at the campus who leave their children at the facility while on duty, it said in a statement. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report about “some toddlers being treated inhumanely by the nannies at a creche operating on the premises of an IT company in Bengaluru”. The Commission has observed that the content of the news reports, if true, raises serious issues of human rights violations. Therefore, it has issued notices to the Karnataka chief secretary and the direct...

Bengaluru: Two staff members of the daycare centre inside Bengaluru’s Capgemini campus have been arrested in connection with allegations of locking children in washrooms and placing them inside washing machines. The arrested caregivers have been identified as Manjula and Vijayalakshmi. According to HAL Police, crucial evidence was discovered against the two accused, with more arrests to follow. The authorities are investigating the roles and responsibilities of Capgemini and the ad agency Little Scholar in the case as well. New hires lacked basic training According to preliminary information, Manjula had recruited four other staff members to work at the daycare. The newly hired caretakers lacked basic training, nor were they informed on how to handle children before being assigned responsibilities. Officials are investigating whether the lack of supervision and training was part of the abuse. A senior-level police officer is supervising the investigation, with a...

Bengaluru: Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byregowda conducted a late-night inspection of the city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor on Thursday, July 2, reviewing the condition of roads, footpaths, drains and civic infrastructure from Silk Board Junction to Baiyappanahalli Metro Station. During the inspection, the Minister directed officials to speed up improvement works and strongly defended the ongoing footpath encroachment clearance drive, stating that pedestrian safety could not be compromised. Accompanied by senior officials from various civic agencies, Krishna Byregowda assessed the progress of road development works being undertaken under the B-SMILE project. The State Government has earmarked Rs 400 crore to upgrade the 17.1-km stretch from Silk Board to Baiyappanahalli into a world-class urban corridor with improved roads, drainage, pedestrian infrastructure and utility management. Beginning his inspection from the Lowry Junction towards Silk Board, the M...