bangalore news times

Bengaluru: School admissions across Karnataka have witnessed a sharp decline in the current academic year, with the number of students enrolling in government and private schools reportedly falling by nearly four lakh compared to last year. The steep decline has raised concerns among the Education Department and school managements, with officials and education experts attributing the fall to multiple factors, including confusion over the minimum age requirement for Class 1 admission, delayed government decisions and a significant increase in fees charged by several private schools. The government had initially moved to strictly enforce the rule requiring a child to have completed six years of age as of June 1 to be eligible for Class 1 admission. The decision created uncertainty for thousands of parents whose children had completed LKG and UKG but did not meet the revised age criterion. The situation was particularly difficult for children born during the COVID-19 pandem...

Ramanagara: Two passengers were killed and several others injured after a Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus lost control and crashed into a large signboard on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway near Avaregere Gate in Ramanagara taluk early Saturday, August 8. The bus was travelling from Kerala towards Bengaluru when the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle near Avaregere Gate. The bus rammed into a roadside directional signboard with considerable force before overturning on the expressway. Two passengers died on the spot in the impact, while several others suffered injuries, including some who sustained serious injuries. The injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. The accident caused panic among passengers and motorists travelling on the busy expressway. The overturned bus and debris on the road also disrupted traffic movement, leading to congestion on the Bengaluru-Mysuru route. On receiving information, personnel from...

Belagavi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday, August 7, launched searches at properties linked to Shivam Associate Company owner Shivananad Neelannavar as part of its probe into the alleged Rs. 4,500-crore investment fraud that reportedly affected over 40,000 investors. Teams of ED officials from Mangaluru and Goa searched three locations connected to the accused, including his residence in Shiv Basavanagar, another property at Badkundri village and the Chikkodi residence of his business partner, Subhash Nandargi. During the operation, investigators questioned Neelannavar and his wife, Sangeeta, while scrutinising financial documents, bank records and digital evidence to determine the flow of funds and identify assets allegedly acquired through the investment scheme. According to investigators, Neelannavar allegedly mobilised thousands of crores from investors by offering unusually high returns despite lacking regulatory approval from the Reserve Bank of India ...

Udupi: Tension gripped Mudarangadi in Udupi district after unidentified assailants shot dead businessman and local Congress leader David D’Souza in Shirva police station limits on Friday, August 7, marking yet another shooting incident on the Karnataka coast. D’Souza, a former president of the Mudarangadi Gram Panchayat, was attacked by armed assailants who opened fire at close range before fleeing the spot. He succumbed to his injuries, police said. Senior police officers rushed to the crime scene and launched an investigation. The motive behind the murder is yet to be established, with investigators probing multiple angles, including personal enmity and business-related disputes. Police have launched a special operation to trace and arrest the accused, who remain at large. Back-to-back shootings The latest incident comes days after businessman Ivan Richard Mascarenhas (45) was shot dead on Holy Rosario Church Road in Kundapur. In that case, police said the...

Bengaluru : The Congress high command has stepped up efforts to contain growing discontent within the Karnataka unit following the recent Cabinet expansion, with senior leaders meeting disappointed legislators amid protests by their supporters across the State. Even two days after the expansion, resentment continues among several MLAs who were overlooked for ministerial berths. Supporters of aspirants denied Cabinet positions have organised demonstrations and shutdowns in several constituencies, demanding that their leaders be accommodated in the government. While some legislators have softened their stand after discussions with the party leadership, others continue to express disappointment over the selection process. AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala arrived in Bengaluru on Thursday and began a series of meetings with dissatisfied legislators. He met Indi MLA Yashavantharayagouda Patil, Vijayanagar MLA M. Krishnappa, Priya Krishna and sen...

Bengaluru: A 32-year-old Bengaluru-based interior designer has alleged that a routine bike taxi ride turned into a life-threatening ordeal, leaving her with severe injuries, mounting medical bills exceeding Rs 20 lakh and an ongoing battle for compensation. She has now announced plans to approach the consumer court, accusing the ride-hailing platform of failing to provide adequate support after the accident. Sani Krishna, originally from Kerala and currently working in Bengaluru, said the accident occurred on June 17 while she was travelling to her office in Domlur from Byrasandra using a bike taxi booked through the Rapido app. She said the motorcycle travelled barely a kilometre when the rider allegedly attempted to overtake a tractor near Bagmane Tech Park. Krishna claimed the risky manoeuvre caused the two-wheeler to lose balance, throwing her onto the road, where she was allegedly run over by the tractor. The impact left her with multiple critical injuries, requiring eme...

Bengaluru : The Karnataka High Court has transferred Malur JMFC Judge Gayathri to the JMFC Court at Humnabad in Bidar district with immediate effect, days after the court took serious note of her alleged conduct in a road rage incident involving a motorcyclist. The transfer order was issued by High Court Registrar Chandrashekar Reddy. The controversy arose after a video showing the judge confronting a biker in public went viral on social media. According to the allegations, the altercation began after the motorcyclist, identified as Vinay, overtook the judge’s Toyota Innova. The judge allegedly followed the biker and engaged in a heated argument on a public road, attracting widespread criticism. Following the incident, an FIR was registered against Vinay at the Malur Police Station . Challenging the criminal case , the biker approached the Karnataka High Court seeking quashing of the FIR, contending that the case was falsely registered. While hearing the petition, ...