International drug peddling racket busted in Belgaum

The Karnataka police have busted an international drug peddling racket by arresting four persons in the border town of Belgaum and recovering from them 22 kilograms of marijuana, worth more than Rs 200 million in the international market.

Superintendent of Belgaum district police Hemant Nimbalkar told reporters that contraband was meant to be shipped overseas through courier, cleverly concealed in laminated photo frames with images of saints and bollywood stars.

Since April 15 this year, the gang had already dispatched 30 to 35 consignments through courier to various destinations in Scotland, United Kingdom, Zambia, Seychelles, United States of America, Costa Rice, United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

“The authorities in these countries are being contacted to trace the recipients of these consignments, which had been sent from fake self addresses in Belgaum”, Nimbalkar added.

The recovery of marijuana, a psychoactive drug derived from Cannabis plant, commonly known as hashish, in such a large quantity comes close on the heels of seizure of more than a kg of the narcotic substance from a couriered consignment by the Narcotics Control Bureau. The officials of the Bureau had intercepted a consignment from Belgaum, meant to be shipped to Finland, and found pouches containing marijuana tucked away in the photo frames.

The seizure of such a huge amount of marijuana in Belgaum came about after the police, acting on a tip-off, intercepted a car that was on the way to Goa from Belgaum. A search on the occupants of the car – Akash Desai and Asif Budanwale – yielded 7.5 kgs of marijuana. Besides, the contraband, the duo had a cash of Rs 255,000 with them. “Though Akash, who is the king-pin of the racket, was carrying a fully loaded revolver, he did not open fire on the police”, Nimbalkar said.

Later, a raid was carried out on their rented house in Chennammanagar, where another 15 kg of marijuana was recovered. The police also managed to arrest their two other accomplices Sajjan Herwalkar and Mohammed Ali. Another gang member Vishnu is said to be at large.

During the police interrogation, the accused confessed that drug had been brought from Delhi to Belgaum via Goa. It was later dispatched to clients abroad through courier, concealed in large sized photo frames. “The packing of the drugs in the frames was so meticulous that it could not be detected even by X-ray machines. And that may the reason why drugs had not been recovered at airports in foreign countries”, he said.

The police also recovered from the accused a high-end luxury car worth Rs 4.5 million, besides a Rs 1.8 million worth imported bike Gold Wing, which has large carrier and go run at a speed of 240 kms per hour.

Kumaraswamy does not rule out continuing in power

The BJP in Karnataka, which is looking forward to assuming the mantle of Chief Minister during October this year, sufferred another jolt with Kumaraswamy not ruling out the possibility of his continuation at the helm for another term of 20 months.

Though Kumaraswamy said he was committed to handing over power to BJP as per the power-sharing understanding arrived at before the JD (S)-BJP coalition came to power in Karnataka during February 2006, the Chief Minister said he would continue in power if he had the blessings of the people.

Kumaraswamy’s statement, which has sent the BJP into a tizzy, came when he was addressing a public gathering after his jinx-breaking visit to Chamarajanagar on Monday.

“I came to Chamarajanagar to prove the jinx about Chief Ministers losing power after the visit wrong. My visit to Chamarajanagar will have nothing to do with my continuation in power or not. I may continue to be the Chief Minister even after the term ends”, he said.

Speaking to reporters later, Kumaraswamy reiterated his commitment to hand over power to BJP as per the agreement. “I never aspired to become the Chief Minister, but circumstances forced me to take over the post. I cannot say if the some unexpected turn of events take place in politics and force me to continue in power”, he said.

The Chief Minister’s statement on continuation in power in front of a mammoth gathering in Chamarajanagar came after local legislator Vatal Nagaraj wondered aloud whether Kumaraswamy’s visit to the town would break the jinx or strengthen it in view of the scheduled transfer of power to the BJP.

Vatal Nagaraj said the jinx surrounding Chamarajanagar is that the man at the helm would lose power within months. “If Kumaraswamy hands over power to BJP as scheduled, will the jinx not be strengthened?”, he said looking at the Chief Minister seated on the dais.

Meanwhile, JD (S) Minister Iqbal Ansari, who had ruled out transfer of power to the BJP in October, fired another missile by claiming that Kumaraswamy enjoyed the support of 30 BJP MLAs.

“Kumaraswamy will continue to be the Chief Minister as there are about 25 to 30 BJP MLAs including Ministers, who are supporting him”, Ansari said. He further added that BJP’s state unit President Sadananda Gowda was aware of the support Kumaraswamy enjoyed from the BJP MLAs.

Bangalore girl tops CBSE X exam with 99 per cent

A Kendriya Vidyalaya student from Bangalore Aparna Muralidhar has become the toast of the town for topping the southern region in CBSE Class X examinations, securing an amazing 99 per cent.

Aparna’s dream marks card, showing a 100 out of 100 in Mathematics, Social Studies and Sanskrit, besides 99 in General Science and 96 in English, catapulted her to instant fame with newspapers splashing her photograph and media channels making a beeline to her house in Banakashankari in Bangalore.

Aparna has scored a whopping 495 out of 500 to top the southern region comprising Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andam and Nicobar Islands, besides Daman and Diu.

As soon as she saw the results on the Internet on Monday, an exhilarated Aparna shared her achievement with her father B R Muralidhar, an engineering consultant, and her mother Jyothi, a mathematics teacher.

Next, she went to her school – Kendriya Vidyalaya at ASC Centre – to confirm her feat. The Principal of the School E Ananthan is also elated with Aparna’s achievement. “We expected 96-97 per cent from her. But, she has surprised us by securing 99 per cent”, he said.

Aparna’s father Muralidhar’s joy also knew no bounds. “We did expect her to do well, but that this well. She worked hard, but never cut herself off from television or anything like that. I am very happy and proud”, Muralidhar said.

Speaking her reporters, Aparna wants to complete her Class XII before she decides whether she should become a doctor or an engineer.

Ominous start to jinx-breaking visit, Kumaraswamy’s chopper forcelands

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s visit to “jinxed” border district of Chamarajanagar began on an ominous note as the helicopter carrying him was forced to make an emergency landing on a slushy lakebed nearly one km away from the makeshift helipad set up on the outskirts of Yelandur town in the district on Sunday evening.

The pilot of the Chief Minister’s helicopter was unable to spot to the helipad in view of the poor visibility on account of the heavy rains accompanied by strong gales in the area. Though the ground staff preparing to receive the Chief Minister at the helipad fired the flares to indicate the landing spot, the bad weather condition forced the pilot to make an abrupt landing on the bed of a lake.

The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by party legislators Puttaraju and Anil Lad, besides the officials, spent more than half an hour chatting inside the landed chopper. They stepped out of the aircraft only after the rains subsided.

Officials said a few villagers, who were working in the agricultural fields, rushed towards the helicopter and were surprised to find the Chief Minister inside. Soon a crowd gathered near the helicopter and the farmers and labourers exchanged greetings with the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, the district administration officials and party workers, who had gathered at the helipad, grew anxious over the undue delay in the arrival of the Chief Minister. They began a frantic search for the Chief Minister’s chopper in the region after the police received a wireless message about the emergency landing.

Finally, a message was conveyed to the district administration about the exact location of the Chief Minister. The Minister in charge of the district Mahadev Prasad accompanied by officials rushed to the spot, which did not have a motorable road. However, the villagers and the officials helped the Chief Minister and his entourage to clear the slush and get into a car.

Kumaraswamy proceeded to complete his engagements in the district, which has long been neglected by a superstitious belief that Chief Ministers visiting Chamarajanagar would lose power within months.

After staying overnight in the house of a farmer at Badagalmole in the district, Kumaraswamy entered Chamarajanagar town yesterday morning to become the first Chief Minister of the State to visit the town in almost 17 years.

The Chief Minister first offered special prayers at the Chamarajeshwara Temple in Chamarajanagar town and launched developmental works worth Rs 3.7 billion that included setting up an engineering college and drinking water facility to more than a 100 villages of the region. Later, he held a progress review meeting with officials and addressed a public meeting.

Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said he stood by the promise he had made to the people of the State by visiting Chamarajanagar, which is regarded as a jinxed town. “I am here on a mission to dispel the myth that Chief Ministers visiting the town lose power. I hope my visit puts an end to this jinx”, he said.

Though a lot of people, including my family members, advised me against visiting Chamarajanagar, Kumaraswamy said his visit also proves that he was not working under the influence of family and friends. “I am working for the development of the people”, Kumaraswamy said.

17 killed in road mishap near Udupi in Karnataka

In a ghastly road accident, at least seventeen people were killed and more than 20 others were injured when a maxi-cab carrying them collided with a speeding private bus on the national highway at Muloor near Udupi in coastal Karnataka yesterday.

Police said the ill-fated maxi-cab was packed to capacity, carrying a marriage party, and was proceeding towards Muloor when a private bus speeding towards Mangalore on Monday morning collided with it.

The dead included seven children, nine women and a man. “Almost all the passengers of the maxi-cab were women and children belonging to Muslim community”, police said. The impact of the collision was so intense that the bodies and belongings of the passengers had been scattered all around the mangled remains of the maxi-cab.

Senior police officers rushed to the accident spot, which is about 20 kms from Udupi, to supervise the rescue operation. While the injured were admitted to a hi-tech hospital at Udupi, the dead bodies were sent to the Government hospital for a post-mortem.

Police officials fear that the death toll could mount as many among the 20 persons injured were in a critical condition. The authorities are also finding it difficult to identify the deceased as well as the injured as the maxi-cab was a private vehicle with no log records available.

Traffic on the highway was blocked for several hours after the accident on Monday morning. Police said the mishap had taken place at a time when it was drizzling and the road had become slippery.

Meanwhile, locals protested against the authorities for their failure to pay attention to the slippery stretch of national highway 17 near Muloor that had become a death-trap. For, it was only a few days ago seven people had died near Hejamadi on the same highway in a collision between a bus and a tanker.

Ten labourers washed away in canal

Ten labourers were washed away in the flash floods in a canal in Karnataka’s Bagalkot district on Sunday evening.

After finishing their day’s work at the Malaprabha Left Bank canal near Guledgudda village of Bagalkot, the labourers had entered the swollen canal to wash themselves before returning home. But, the flash floods in the canal swept them away, police said.

Several parts of Bagalkot received heavy rainfall on Sunday, which led to overflowing of the canals.

Bodies of two women labourers, who were washed away, had been recovered, police said. Efforts were underway to trace the bodies of the remaining victims, according to Deputy Commissioner of Bagalkot G N Naik.

Meanwhile, Minister in charge of Bagalkot district Govind Karjol, who is in Bangalore, announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the next of kin of each of the deceased.

Infosys chief asked to appear in court over anthem remarks

A court in Bangalore has ordered registering of a criminal case against Infosys chief N.R. Narayana Murthy in connection with his alleged insult to the national anthem and summoned him to appear before it on June 21.

On the basis of a private complaint filed by a pro-Kannada outfit, the Second Additional City and Chief Metropolitan magistrate M. Mujahidulla ordered registering of a criminal case against Narayana Murthy under Section 3 of the Prevention of Insult to National Honour Act 1971. The magistrate also ordered issue of summons returnable on June 21.

The Bangalore court’s orders comes after a private complaint was filed by Kannada Rakshana Vakilara Vedike, a forum of advocates fighting for implementation of Kannada in courts.

Infosys chairman and chief mentor N.R. Narayana Murthy had landed in a controversy for his remarks on the national anthem during President APJ Abdul Kalam’s visit to the Infosys campus in Mysore near here on April 8. Narayana Murthy reportedly told reporters that the company chose against organising live singing of the national anthem and instead played its instrumental version to avoid “embarrassment” to the foreigners in the campus.

Murthy’s remarks triggered a furore in Karnataka with even the State Assembly discussing the matter and condemning it. The Infosys chairman has also apologised by saying that he was sorry if his comments had hurt the sentiments of the people and he had no intention to insult the national anthem. “If the media statements had hurt anybody, I deeply apologise”, Narayana Murthy had said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Kannada Rakshana Vakilara Vedike lodged a complaint in Tilak Nagar police station in Bangalore on April 16, seeking action against Narayana Murthy for his reported remarks on the national anthem. When the police failed to act, the Vedike filed a private complaint in the court on May 3, said Vedike’s General Secretary H.N. Raghavendra.

Infosys did not have any comments to offer on the Bangalore court’s order. According to an Infosys spokesperson, Narayana Murthy was abroad and the company had no comments to offer on the summons issued by the court.

Kumaraswamy to continue as Karnataka CM for 20 more months – JD (S) Minister

Fresh doubts have been raised over BJP assuming power in Karnataka in the wake of JD (S) Minister Iqbal Ansari’s claim that Kumaraswamy will continue as the Chief Minister of the State for 20 more months after his term at the helm ends in October this year.

Addressing an election meeting at Ullal, where by-elections to the Assembly are scheduled for June 2, Ansari told the gathering that power will not be handed over to the BJP after Kumaraswamy’s 20-month tenure ends. “He will continue as the Chief Minister even for the remaining 20 months”, Ansari said.

Significantly, Ansari made the statement in the presence of Kumaraswamy, who is heading a JD (S)-BJP coalition Government in the State. He was addressing a predominantly Muslim gathering in Ullal, which is part of communally sensitive Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka.

Seeking votes for JD (S) candidate Abubakr, the Labour Minister said the JD (S) is committed to ensuring communal peace in the region. “Power will not be handed over the BJP at any cost. Kumaraswamy will continue as the Chief Minister of the State”, Ansari said.

Endorsing Ansari’s statement, another JD (S) Minister D T Jayakumar, who holds the Housing portfolio, said the partymen were in favour of Kumaraswamy continuing for the remaining 20 months. “But, a final decision in the matter will be taken by the leaders”, he said.

Though the JD (S) Ministers’ clamour for continuation of Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister has caused concern among the BJP leaders, the party’s state unit President Sadananda Gowda chose against attaching much importance to the Labour Minister’s statement.

“The JD (S) Minister has made the statement in the heat of the election campaign. The BJP would see it as an election gimmick. There is no doubt about JD (S) transferring power to BJP at the end of Kumaraswamy’s term in October”, Sadananda Gowda said.

BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who is tipped to take over as Chief Minister, refused to react to the JD (S) leaders’ claim on transfer of power. “I have decided not to speak anything about transfer of power”, he said in reply to queries from reporters.

Meanwhile, Kumaraswamy said he was not aware of the intention behind Ansari’s statement. “I don’t know whether it was an electoral strategy. I will speak to Ansari and find out”, he said.

Contraband found in courier consignment

The Narcotics Control Bureau has seized more than a kg of hashish concealed in a consignment meant to be shipped to a European country.

A consignment from Belgaum sent to Bangalore for onward shipping to Finland aroused the suspicion of the courier firm on Friday. When the courier firm personnel opened the consignment, they found four photo frames. On probing further, they found hashish packed in pouches and neatly tucked inside the frames.

Immediately, the courier firm alerted the Narcotics Control Bureau, South Zone, headquartered in Chennai. A team of personnel from the Bureau arrived in Bangalore and confirmed that the material found in the consignment was hashish.

According to Director of Narcotics Control Bureau, South Zone, Davidson Devashirvadam, the material seized by their personnel in Bangalore was hashish. Each of the four photo frames in the consignment contained around 350 gms of hashish. The total quantity of seized contraband was one kg and 180 grams.

“The contraband is worth around Rs 65,000 in the grey market in India. But, its value increases when it goes overseas”, Davidson said.

Meanwhile, the Narcotics Control Bureau has begun verifying the names of the sender and the addressee. “Generally, the names given in such incidents are not genuine. They give fake names and it takes time to verify them”, he said.

The Bureau has also expressed concern over the increasing incidence of trafficking of narcotics globally through courier agencies. “There have been similar seizures in other parts of the country also”, he said.

Davidson recalled an instance in which the narcotic had already left the country by a courier from Chennai by the time the Bureau got the wind of it. “We alerted the recipient country and they seized the contraband at their end”, he said.

The Narcotics Control Bureau also seized more than 10 kgs of heroin from two persons in Bommanahalli in Bangalore. “The contraband was meant to be sent to Sri Lanka”, said Davidson. The two persons from whose possession the heroin was recovered told the authorities that they received the contraband from Bhopal.

A kg of heroin is worth almost half a million in India. “The price shoots up dramatically to Rs 3.5 million in Sri Lanka. There is a huge demand for Indian heroin in Colombo”, Davidson added.

Kumaraswamy to visit jinxed town on May 27

Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is all set to shatter the myth surrounding Chamarajanagar town by becoming the first Chief Minister of the State in the last 17 years to visit the jinxed town situated at the southern tip of the state.

Ever since the late Chief Minister Veerendra Patil lost power after visiting Chamarajanagar town in 1990, all his successors have consciously and deliberately steered clear of the place, which known in political circles as the “graveyard of chief ministers”.

But, Kumaraswamy, who has received accolades for staying overnight in the houses of HIV-afflicted patient, Dalits and other poor and underprivileged families, is determined the break the political jinx by staying overnight at Badagalmole village in Chamarajanagar on May 27.

According to Minister in charge of Chamarajanagar H S Mahadev Prasad, the Chief Minister will arrive in Chamarajanagar around 4.30 pm on May 27 and proceed to Badagalmole village, about 20 kms from the town, for his overnight stay. During his visit to Chamarajanagar, Kumaraswamy is scheduled to launch developmental works worth Rs 3 billion.

Though the Chief Minister’s much-publicised visit to Chamarajanagar assumes significance in view of the jinx surrounding the town, which is also the headquarters of the Chamarajanagar district situated on Karnataka’s border with Tamil Nadu, it is also worth mentioning here that Kumaraswamy is scheduled to demit office in about four months time on October 3 as part of the power-sharing arrangement between the JD (S) and BJP.

But, for the people of Chamarajanagar, they will be receiving a Chief Minister for the first time in the last 17 years.

Chamarajanagar came to be regarded as a jinxed town after three Chief Ministers lost power within months of their visit to the town. It began with Karnataka’s longest serving Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs losing power after visiting Chamarajanagar. His Government was toppled by late Chief Minister R Gundu Rao.

Next, it was the turn of late Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, who had resign from the post after being entangled in a scam in 1988. Later, Chief Minister Veerendra Patil was unceremoniously removed from the post by the Congress High Command weeks after he paid a visit to Chamarajanagar in 1990.
Since 1990, no Chief Minister had dared to tread upon the soil of Chamarajanagar. None of Veerendra Patil’s successors or Kumaraswamy’s predecessors, who held the reins of power in Karnataka, have visited Chamarajanagar

Bizarre festival of abuses celebrated in Kodagu

Hundreds of tribals, attired in weird clothes and holding skulls, sang vulgar songs and shouted abuses at fellow tribals at Devarapura village in Karnataka’s Kodagu district as part of a bizarre festival.

The festival called Kunde Habba, which in local language means “abusing god”, attracted hundreds of tribals to the Aiyappa Temple at Devarapura. An annual feature in the village the festival of abuses saw the tribals revel in the ritualistic shouting of abuses and singing of vulgar songs as part of the tradition that has been passed down to them from generations.

Men belonging to the Jenu Kuruba, Yerava and other tribes began pouring into Devarapura village from neighbouring Gonikoppa, Titimathi, Ponnampet and Polibetta early in the day on Thursday. They applied grease all over them, wore women’s clothes and torn gunny bags, held skulls and began dancing.

Apart from shouting abuses at fellow tribals, the revelers also beg for alms as part of the festival.

Legend has it that a deity called “Betegara Aiyappa” went out hunting with the tribals once. He came across a beautiful young lady by name Bhadrakali. On seeing her, Betegara Aiyappa left the tribals behind and eloped with her. The tribals, who were abandoned in the forests, believe that their own god cheated them.

To commemorate the event, they gather once a year and abuse the god for his act of treachery.

Another version around which the festival is fashioned is that it is payback time for the tribals, most of whom are labourers, to abuse their employers. Having been at the receiving end of the employers’ abuse for the whole year, the tribals wish to give vent to their pent up frustration against the employers.

Bangalore police directed to provide security to nurse Jayalakshmi

The National Commission for Women and Karnataka State Women’s Commission has directed the Bangalore City police to provide security to nurse Jayalakshmi, who kicked up a political furore in Karnataka by releasing photographs of BJP MLA Renukacharya kissing her.

The National Commission for Women has written a letter to Bangalore City Police Commissioner N Achuta Rao to provide security to Jayalakshmi, 36, who has complained that she has been receiving threatening calls ever since she accused the married BJP MLA of sexually harassing her.

The National Commission for Women Chairperson Girija Vyas has also urged Karnataka Assembly Speaker Krishna to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made by Jayalakshmi against the BJP MLA.

Citing lack of confidence in the State Women’s Commission headed by BJP leader Pramila Nesargi, the nurse had approached the National Women’s Commission. She claimed that she received a threatening call on her mobile even while she was in the office of National Women’s Commission in New Delhi and she made Girija Vyas and Commission member Nirmala Venkatesh listen to the threats.

Meanwhile, Pramila Nesargi has also dispatched a letter to Bangalore City Police Commissioner to provide protection to Jayalakshmi with immediate effect. In the letter, Nesargi said it was the responsibility of the police commissioner to provide her security. “I have also written that if there is any untoward incident involving Jayalakshmi, the City Police will be held responsible”, Nesargi said.

The Jayalakshmi-Renukacharya sexual harassment episode has come as a major embarrassment to the BJP ahead of the crucial by-polls to Ullal Assembly constituency in Dakshina Kannada district, where its candidate Chandrashekar Uchil is facing a stiff electoral battle against Congress candidate U T Khader, who is the son of late MLA U T Farid.

Three crushed under train near Bangalore

Three persons including a 12-year-old girl were crushed under the wheels of Chennai-bound Sanghamitra Express at Mahadevapura on the outskirts of Bangalore early yesterday morning.

Police said a man, a woman and the girl had committed suicide by jumping in front of the speeding train around 6 am on Thursday. Though the dead man has been identified as Ramaiah, a 50-year-old construction worker residing in Narayanapura village on the outskirts of Bangalore, his relationship with the dead woman Gayathri has not been established.

“It appears to be a suicide pact”, a senior police official said adding that the trio had laid across the tracks to end their lives.

Police said Ramaiah, who stays with his wife in his house in Narayanapura, had not returned home for the last seven days. The police is suspecting domestic turmoil to be reason behind Ramaiah taking the extreme step with Gayathri and the 12-year-old girl.

Use of a biodiversity-rich island for target practice by Navy kicks up row

The pounding of an island, off the Karnataka coast, with bombs and shells as part of the target practicing by Indian Navy personnel has raised the hackles of environmentalists as well as Karnataka Government.

The Netrani island, situated 19 kms off the Murdeshwar coast in the Arabian Sea, hosts not only rare colonies of birds in its forest patch, but also corals and various species of coral fish that feed on them in its waters.

With the Navy personnel using the island for target practice, the environmentalists and the Karnataka State Biodiversity Board have expressed concern over the threat posed to bio-diversity in the bustling eco-sensitive island.

With a view to protecting the island, Karnataka State Biodiversity Board is planning to send a documentary film on the island to the Federal Government with a request to declare the island as protected area in view of its rich bio-diversity and eco-sensitive nature.

According to Executive Officer of the Board Gangadhara V Maddikery, a documentary on Netrani island has already been shot and it is in the editing phase. A CD of the documentary will be sent to the Federal Government soon. “We will also write to the Navy to help us in protecting the island”, he said.

An expert team comprising marine biologists, ornithologists, botanists, environmentalists and scuba divers carried out a two-day expedition in the forest patch on the island and the waters at the Netrani island last week.

The island’s waters features five varieties of corals and 47 species of coral fish that feed on them. Citing the provisions of Biodiversity Act 2002, marine biologist V N Nayak, who is from the Department of Marine Biology, Karnataka University, said any place, where corals and coral dependent fish are found, should be protected.

“It is an eco-sensitive island, which is bustling with rare flora and fauna. Nearly nine varieties of shark fish, including the endangered whale shark are found around the island. On land, we have discovered plants, which are not recorded anywhere in the coastal districts of Karnataka. The island needs to be protected to save its rich bio diversity”, Nayak said.

Also, the experts have recorded the presence of rare edible-nest swiftlets, which are found only on Andaman and Nicobar islands, on the Netrani island. “More than 400 white-billed sea eagles were recorded during the expedition along with a few Egyptian vultures. We also noticed mongoose, jungle cats and pellets of black-naped hare during the expedition” said biodiversity expert Harish Bhat.

Karnataka may restrict Bangalore families from buying more than one car

With the roads in Bangalore choked to capacity, Karnataka Government is considering a proposal to restrict families from purchasing more than one car.

The burgeoning vehicular population in congested cities like Bangalore and Mysore has forced Karnataka’s Transport Minister N Cheluvarayaswamy to think aloud about applying brakes on registration of new vehicles to check the worsening traffic scenario.

“We are thinking of restricting one car per family atleast in congested cities like Bangalore and Mysore. I know there will be opposition to this and it needs strong political will. But, we think this might be a feasible option”, Cheluvarayaswamy told reporters.

He also proposed to ban movement of certain types of vehicles on select roads. The collection of congestion fee on certain roads of the City is also among the steps mooted by the Government.

The Transport Minister contended that there are several countries that restrict the number of cars per family in a bid to reduce sound and air pollution. However, he made it clear that the discussions were still in the preliminary stage. “The discussions are still in the initial stage. There is a need to conduct a survey and analyze vehicular ownership pattern before any concrete step is taken in the direction”, he said.

Presently, Bangalore has close to three million vehicles, but 75 per cent of them are two-wheelers. The vehicular population in Bangalore had risen dramatically since the year 2000 when the City had just 1.3 million vehicles. With the vehicular population more than doubling during the last seven years, the authorities are clearly worried about the scenario going out of hand.

Karnataka BJP distances itself from MLA facing sexual harassment charges

Even as BJP legislator Renukacharya, who is at the centre of the sexual harassment controversy, dismissed the photographs showing him kissing a nurse as “computer graphic technology”, the BJP leadership decided to keep the scandalized MLA away from all party activities till he comes clean.

BJP’s Karnataka unit President D V Sadananda Gowda said the party has decided not to involve its MLA in any of the party activities till the probe into the sexual harassment charges he is facing is completed.

Sadanand Gowda also pointed out that Renukacharya has already submitted his resignation not only as an MLA, but also as the Chairman of state-run Karnataka Electronics Development Corporation.

Meanwhile, Renukacharya accused nurse Jayalakshmi of technologically manipulating the photographs to project him in poor light.

Speaking to reporters, Renukacharya denied having spent time with the nurse. “She is only trying to tarnish my image and politically finish me by using technology”, he said.

The BJP MLA even recalled that the nurse had given a written statement to Chandra Layout police, which is already investigating the harassment charges, that she is not in possession of any photographs or CD to prove her allegations. “It is upto her to reveal where she got these photographs from. It is a political game plan”, he said.

Renukacharya also denied that he had been threatening the nurse. “Let, he show the proof to substantiate her charges that I have been threatening her”, the BJP MLA said.

Meanwhile, nurse Jayalakshmi’s decision to release the photographs has taken the Bangalore City police by surprise.

When reporters asked Additional Commissioner of Police Bipin Gopalakrishna whether the police can take any action against the nurse for releasing sleazy photographs, he wondered what the police can do when a woman is tarnishing her own image by releasing pictures of her in intimate positions with the MLA.
“The pictures themselves speak and show that she was not forced into it. If there was force and if she can prove that the MLA had advanced further despite her innocence, then the police will book a case against him”, Bipin Gopalakrishna said

Man’s body arrives 100 days after murder in Riyadh

The body of a 48-year-old man, who was murdered in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia three and a half months ago, arrived in his native of Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) in Karnataka on Sunday.

Ameer Khan, a resident of Andersonpet in Kolar Gold Fields was working with a private hotel in Riyadh when he was murdered in February 2007. As the cause of the murder was not known and culprits were not traced, the authorities in Riyadh did not hand over the body to the bereaved family.

Ameer Khan’s wife Yasmin had appealed to the President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps to find out the cause of her husband’s murder and hand over the body.

The External Affairs Ministry corresponded through diplomatic channels on the matter to facilitate the handing over the deceased’s dead body to his relatives. The body of Ameer Khan arrived at his residence in Kolar Gold Fields on Sunday, exactly 100 days after the murder, amidst heart-rending scenes.

Karnataka lawmaker caught on camera smooching nurse

Karnataka BJP MLA Renukacharya’s embarrassment over the sexual harassment charges levelled against him by a nurse turned worse yesterday when she released photographs of the legislator smooching her to the media.

The nurse Jayalakshmi, who has already lodged a complaint with the National Women’s Commission against the Renukacharya, convened a press conference in Bangalore on Monday and publicly released photographs showing the legislator kissing her.

With television news channels beaming the photographs, the sexual harassment charges against the BJP MLA have come under sharp focus once again. The nurse has also accused Renukacharya of pestering her to marry him for the last several months.

Jayalakshmi’s disclosure comes after Renukacharya denied the charges of sexual harassment levelled against him by the nurse, who is also the Secretary of Green City Charitable and Education Trust in Bangalore.

“I have been receiving threatening calls. The callers had threatened to release my nude photographs. So, I released the photographs in my possession”, she told reporters.

The nurse, who had also attempted suicide about a month ago over the matter, said she was forced to approach the National Women’s Commission in New Delhi, as she does not trust the State Women’s Commission, which is headed by a BJP woman. “The State Women’s Commission is headed by Pramila Nesargi, who is also a BJP leader. When the accused also belongs to the same party, I don’t think I will secure justice here. So, I went to New Delhi”, he said.

Jayalakshmi claimed that she had brought the matter to the notice of BJP leaders in Karnataka, including Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, but to no avail. “Now it is the party and the Government to take note of the matter and initiate appropriate action against the MLA”, the nurse said.

Jayalakshmi further said that there was a threat to her life. “But, I have not been given any security”, she claimed.

Internet blackmailer nabbed

A software professional from Hyderabad was arrested by a special team of policemen from Mysore near here on charges of blackmailing women after eliciting personal information from them through online chats.

Describing his modus operandi, the police commissioner of Mysore City Pravin Sood told reporters that the thirty-year-old Neeraj Vaidya used to make friends with women on internet chat rooms and would extract personal information from them.

After obtaining the details, he would call or send messages through his mobile phone, threatening them that he would upload their photographs and personal details on pornographic websites if they failed to pay up.

A woman from Mysore, who was among the several victims of Neeraj Vaidya, lodged a complaint to the Mysore City police. The woman, whose identity the police refused to reveal, complained that she had already paid Rs 350,000 to Internet conman. But, the accused pestered her for an additional Rs 600,000.

Unable to bear to meet the extortion demands, the woman brought the matter to the notice of the Mysore City police, which constituted a special team. After obtaining all the information about Neeraj, the police advised the woman to continue the chat sessions with the accused.

“We traced him in Hyderabad with the help of the mobile phone number he was using to send the messages”, Sood told reporters.

Neeraj Vaidya was picked up from Hyderabad within three days of registering the complaint. The police also recovered Rs 165,000, a mobile phone and a laptop from the accused, who had worked in various software companies in Hyderabad. He was brought to Mysore, produced before the court and remanded in police custody.

“We have recovered a portion of the money paid by the victim. She had deposited the amount demanded by him in a bank account as directed by accused and he had already withdrawn the money. We are trying to recover the remaining amount”, Sood said.

Karnataka setting up IT finishing schools

With less than 35 per cent of engineering graduates found “employable” by the Information Technology (IT) companies, Karnataka Government has taken the initiative to start IT finishing schools that provide graduates training in communication skills, corporate culture as well as technical skills.

Speaking to reporters here, Secretary to Karnataka Government’s Department of Information Technology (IT) and Bio Technology (BT) M N Vidyashankar said the Government had tied up with the private sector and academic institutions to start IT finishing schools in Bangalore and Mysore near here.

While the IT finishing school in the Mysore, which will be first of its kind in India, will start functioning from next month, the IT finishing school in Bangalore will be thrown open to interested graduates by August this year.

The IT finishing school in Mysore will recruit 5,000 candidates during the first year and gradually increase the intake. The intake of Bangalore institute will double that of Mysore’s school. “The intake will be increased to 25,000 next year and doubled to 50,000 in the next two years”, Vidyashankar said.

The Government’s initiative to start IT finishing schools comes in the wake of a consultancy firm coming out with report on the employability of engineering graduates. “Only 35 per cent of the graduates are found employable by the IT companies at present. We want to take the figure to 75 per cent”, he said and added that the IT finishing schools were “an answer to the requirements of the IT industry”.

With four to five IT companies being set up in Bangalore every week, adding to the existing 1,790 companies, the demand for manpower in the IT sector was expected to shoot further up. “There is a demand for 110,000 IT graduates in Karnataka alone during 2007-08”, Vidyashankar said.

Though Karnataka produces engineering graduates in big numbers, there is a huge gap between demand and supply with companies looking for skilled and specialized manpower, he said.