bangalore news times

Bengaluru : Kumbalgodu police have busted an illegal hookah bar allegedly being operated from a rented house in Kenchanapura village and arrested two people in connection with the case on Tuesday, September 1. The arrested have been identified as Ajith B. Nayak, 28, a resident of Meenakshinagar in Basaveshwaranagar, and Varun K.R., 25, from Hassan. Ajith, who holds postgraduate degrees in civil engineering and economics, was working as a senior analyst at a private company in Domlur. Varun, a BBA graduate, was allegedly working as a supplier at the illegal hookah establishment. According to the investigation, Ajith and his friends regularly travelled to Ramanagara to smoke hookah. As they were spending around ₹500 each during every visit, they allegedly decided to set up a private hookah bar of their own. Police said the accused purchased hookah equipment and flavours from a closed hookah bar in Annapoorneshwarinagar. They later rented the first floor of a house in Kench...

Bengaluru: Questions have been raised over the delay in registering an FIR after a senior police officer was allegedly assaulted during a Youth Congress protest in Bengaluru. Youth Congress workers had attempted to lay siege to the Bharatiya Janta Party office in Malleshwaram on Sunday, August 30, evening to protest alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. As the situation turned tense, police resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the protesters. During the confrontation, Karnataka Youth Congress president H.S. Manjunath Gowda and some activists allegedly confronted policemen on duty. Videos purportedly showing protesters pushing and manhandling North Division DCP Nemegowda have since surfaced on social media. Despite the alleged incident involving a senior IPS officer while he was discharging his official duties, no FIR has reportedly been registered so far. The delay has triggered questions about the police department’s handling of the matter. The incide...

Mangaluru: An interstate accused wanted in several cheating and extortion cases has been arrested by the Mangaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) after allegedly evading arrest for about three years. The accused was reportedly involved in impersonating a national investigation agency official and cheating people by promising to settle financial and tax-related cases. Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy said the accused, Sam Peter alias Danny Tharakan alias Anthony, 64, was arrested in Kannur, Kerala, on Monday night, August 31. He is originally from Kollam and had reportedly shifted to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. Investigators said Peter allegedly operated a gang that posed as officials of the National Crime Investigation Bureau. The group allegedly approached individuals facing financial disputes, bank fraud allegations and tax cases, claiming that the cases could be settled through their influence. Multiple aliases Kadri police had raided a lodge at Pumpwell in Manga...

Chitradurga : Cracks have appeared on an old bridge built across the Vedavati River near Konigarahalli in Challakere taluk, raising serious safety concerns among residents of the surrounding villages. The bridge, constructed around four decades ago, has reportedly been in a dilapidated condition for several days. Despite the deterioration, residents allege that the authorities have failed to undertake necessary repair and maintenance work. The bridge is a crucial link between Konigarahalli and several villages in the surrounding area with Challakere town. Thousands of people, including students , commuters and motorists, reportedly use the route every day. With visible cracks developing on the structure, residents fear that the bridge could suffer further damage or even collapse if immediate action is not taken. The situation has caused considerable anxiety among people who depend on the bridge for their daily travel. Residents have expressed anger over what they...

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...