bangalore news times

Bengaluru: The controversy surrounding the alleged misuse of Form 7 applications during Karnataka’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has escalated, with police registering five first information reports (FIRs) in different parts of the state over attempts to delete names of minority voters. The complaints have raised questions about whether bulk applications were submitted using incorrect details, forged signatures or without the consent of the persons named in the forms. The cases have been registered in Belagavi, Bidar and Mysuru. Complaints alleged that large numbers of voters were shown as having shifted from their addresses or being unavailable, even though they continued to reside at the same locations. Police have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) dealing with cheating, forgery, impersonation and conspiracy. The development comes amid allegations that Form 7 was being used to target Muslim voters in large numbers. Form 7 is...

Bengaluru : A social media post by a Canadian national has drawn attention to the poor condition of a footpath in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar and prompted the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to undertake immediate repair work. The incident concerns the footpath on 12th Main Road in Indiranagar, where portions of the pavement had reportedly collapsed and several slabs were damaged. A Canadian visitor filmed the condition of the footpath and posted the video on X around two days ago. The video went viral, attracting considerable attention and criticism of Bengaluru’s civic administration. Social media users questioned the condition of the city’s roads and pedestrian infrastructure, while some criticised the GBA and Central City Corporation authorities for failing to address such basic problems. Following the widespread reaction, civic officials and workers reached the location and began repair work. The damaged footpath was restored and broken slabs were reconstructed, wit...

Mangaluru: Arshia Khan, a Muslim woman from Vitla who has been actively involved in the traditional coastal Karnataka art form Yakshagana for over a decade, is set to take on the role of Goddess Durga in the popular ‘Sri Devi Mahatme’ Yakshagana performance during the Navaratri season. Known in Yakshagana circles by her stage name ‘Yakapriye Tanu Vitla’, Arshia has emerged as a notable example of religious harmony through her dedication to the traditional art. A student of the Kadali Kala Kendra, she has trained extensively in Yakshagana and performed several roles over the years. As part of the ‘Kadali Dashahah’ Yakshagana festival organised by the Kadali Kala Kendra at the historic Kadri Manjunath Temple in Mangaluru , Arshia will portray the eight-armed Goddess in the complete ‘Sri Devi Mahatme’ performance scheduled for October 20. Arshia said her association with Yakshagana began with a deep interest in the art form and has continued for years. She has performed role...

Bengaluru: The ongoing controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has intensified in Karnataka, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepping up protests against police cases involving its leaders in Ballari and Belagavi. In Ballari, BJP Booth-Level Agent (BLA) 1 Srinivas Motkar is facing two first information reports (FIRs) registered at Brucepet and APMC police stations in connection with allegations of misuse of Form 7. Motkar had submitted a complaint seeking verification of the eligibility of 7,561 voters. The BJP has denied targeting any particular community and said its action was aimed only at seeking verification of voter eligibility. The party objected strongly after police obtained a search warrant from a court and moved to search Motkar’s office on Talur Road based on a complaint filed by Congress BLA-1 Gautham. Protest on Oct 5 Calling the police action excessive, BJP leaders said they would hold a protest on October 5. Th...

Chennai : Legendary filmmaker Singeetham Srinivasa Rao died at a private hospital here due to ill health, family sources said. Rao breathed his last at the Kauvery hospital on Saturday night, they said adding he was 95. The veteran director leaves behind a massive legacy in Indian cinema. His mortal remains have been kept for public homage at his residence in Virugambakkam. The final rites are scheduled to be held this afternoon at around 2pm at the Nesapakkam crematorium in Chennai. Rao was celebrated for his creative genius and helmed several iconic films, including ‘Raja Paarvai’, ‘Little John’, Kamal Haasan-starrer ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’, ‘Michael Madana Kama Rajan’, and ‘Kadhala Kadhala’. His directorial brilliance earned him a National Award for the film ‘Dikkatra Parvathi’. Undeterred by age, he remained active in the industry and released his final film, titled ‘Sing Geetham...

Mysuru : Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday, October 4, said the government was making efforts to ensure that people could get their problems addressed directly through the Praja Seva campaign instead of making frequent trips to government offices. Launching the Praja Seva programme at Periyapatna, Shivakumar said the initiative was designed to take ministers, legislators and government officials to the people and provide solutions to their grievances at the local level. A special legal assistance centre has also been introduced to offer free help in court-related matters. The Chief Minister said the Praja Seva Department was established on September 5 and had already organised campaigns at 620 places. More than one lakh applications had been received so far, with petitions concerning Revenue, Rural Development and Urban Development departments accounting for a significant share. He said every application would be scrutinised by the concerned department and appl...

Bidar: Bidar district police have arrested Balbir Singh alias Shera Jadhav, allegedly a key accused in an illegal country-made pistol supply network, during a special operation in Hyderabad. According to Superintendent of Police Pradeep Gunti, Singh, a native of Nanded in Maharashtra, was arrested after police gathered information about his involvement in the illegal arms racket. Three other accused persons have already been arrested from different locations, and police have recovered five country-made pistols and 12 live rounds. The seized weapons and ammunition are estimated to be worth around Rs 4 lakh. The arrested persons have been identified as Ashwin Kumar Rampur, 33, of Janawada in Bidar taluk, Eshwar Bachapalli, 36, of Yaranalli, and Anand Malipatil of Ramateertha in Zaheerabad, Telangana. Balbir Singh has been taken into police custody for further investigation. The case came to light on July 15 when police arrested Amanjeet Singh and Venkatesh near Jnanasudha Sc...