Archives for September 2024

Bengaluru: Infosys has finally released offer letters to 1,000 engineering graduates, ending a prolonged wait of over two years, according to the Nascent Information Technology Employees Senate (NITES). This development comes nearly a week after Infosys CEO Sahil Parekh assured that the company would honor offers made to freshers and follow through with their joining process.

The IT giant issued the offer letters via email, with a scheduled joining date of October 7, 2024.These roles, designated for System Engineers, were initially offered to candidates in 2022. The candidates were required to complete two pre-training sessions in 2024, with the most recent session held on August 19. Despite fulfilling these requirements, the candidates faced delays in their onboarding process.

NITES, an IT and ITES employees’ union, recently lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Labour and Employment against Infosys, alleging that the company had delayed the onboarding of 2,000 engineering graduates for System Engineer (SE) and Digital SE roles, with annual packages ranging from Rs 3.2 lakh to Rs 3.7 lakh.

The offer letter states, “Your scheduled date of joining the employment of the company will be October 7, 2024. Your location for employment is Mysore, India.” The letter also includes a clause that requires new recruits to pay Infosys a specified amount as ‘damages’ if they leave before completing their probation period.

The letter further explains, “You recognize and accept that at the time of appointment as systems engineer trainee, except exposure to academic knowledge, you have received no formal, effective, technical or practical training to independently function as a systems engineer trainee who is commercially viable to the company… You recognize and accept that the company would suffer substantial financial loss, inconvenience, loss of resources, man hours, etc., in the event you fail to complete the training and/or leave the company during the probation period.”

Brahmavara: A pedestrian who was crossing the road in front of Pooja Hotel hotel near Dharmavaram Auditorium in Bhramavara, died after he was reportedly struck by a container on Tuesday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Ligori Dsouza (74). A container heading to Udupi from Kundapura struck Ligori.

Ligori D’Souza, who was seriously injured, died on the way to Brahmavar Community Health Centre.

The container driver reportedly fled the scene with the vehicle. A case in connection with the incident has been registered at the Brahmavara police station.

Gangolli: Gangolli Police have arrested two individuals, including a minor, for a theft at Maravathe Post Office from Jolly Road Cross near Bhatkal on Tuesday.

The accused are identified as Fouzan Ahammed (19), a resident of Bhatkal and another minor. A motor bike used for the crime has been seized from the accused. The police have presented the accused before the court.

A team of police personnel from Gangolli Police Station including SI Harish R, SI Basavaraj Kanashetty and Constables Sandeep Kurani, Raju Naik, Nagaraj and Dinesh apprehended the accused on the basis on CCTV footage from the crime scene.

Mangaluru: As the city prepares for the upcoming Ganesha Chaturthi and Eid Milad festivals, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal has urged residents to celebrate the events peacefully and in strict adherence to the issued guidelines. Ganesha Chaturthi will be celebrated from September 6 to 17, with idols being installed at 165 locations within the Mangaluru police commissionerate limits. Eid Milad will be observed on September 15 and 16.

The celebrations will involve processions across areas classified as hypersensitive, sensitive, and normal, with 22 hypersensitive zones, 64 sensitive zones, and 79 normal zones identified within the city.

A peace meeting was convened on Monday, during which Commissioner Agrawal emphasized that organizers must obtain necessary permissions from various authorities, including Mescom, fire and emergency services, local bodies, and landowners where the idols are to be installed.

Organizers have been instructed to construct pandals with precautions against wind, rain, and fire hazards. Fire-fighting equipment such as sand, water buckets, and fire extinguishers must be readily available. The commissioner also advised against placing inflammable materials near lamps inside the Ganesha mantapas.

Organizers are required to provide local police with details of the main guests, including their contact information. Permissions from local bodies are mandatory for displaying flexes and banners, which must not contain any provocative content. Furthermore, all tableaux and dance performances should be conducted in a manner that respects all religious sentiments.

The use of firecrackers has been prohibited near hospitals and densely populated areas after 10 PM.

For idol immersion processions, permission from the police is required, and organizers must follow designated routes. The police have directed that no provocative slogans be used during the processions, and that vehicles used for tableaux must have valid fitness certificates and insurance. Volunteers participating in the processions are to wear matching uniforms and ensure that no vehicles are parked along the procession routes. Additionally, permission is required for the use of sound systems, which must adhere to the prescribed time limits. The use of DJs has been strictly prohibited.

Commissioner Agrawal stated that these measures are essential to ensure a harmonious celebration, and religious leaders have been briefed on the guidelines to promote communal harmony.

In the Dakshina Kannada district, Ganesha idols will be installed at 221 locations, with eight sites in hypersensitive areas, 53 in sensitive areas, and 160 in normal areas.

Mangaluru: Congress MLC BK Hariprasad addressed reporters on Tuesday, clarifying that he is not seeking the position of Chief Minister of Karnataka. Hariprasad emphasized that the final decision regarding the continuation of Siddaramaiah in the role amid ongoing legal issues would be made by the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faces allegations of illegally receiving a site from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), with the BJP demanding his resignation. In response to these accusations, Hariprasad expressed confidence that both Siddaramaiah and the Congress party would prevail in the legal proceedings, noting that a final judgment has not yet been issued.

Hariprasad addressed concerns about other Congress members expressing interest in the Chief Minister position. He clarified that party leaders had previously addressed questions about potential replacements and that any decision regarding a change in leadership would be determined by the Congress High Command. Hariprasad also highlighted that the 135 Congress legislators in Karnataka are exercising their democratic right to express their opinions and aspirations.

On the issue of alleged irregularities in Covid-19 management under the BJP government and Health Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar, Hariprasad criticized the BJP administration for its handling of the pandemic. He pointed out the significant number of deaths and the difficulties faced by the public due to vaccine supply mismanagement during the BJP’s tenure. Hariprasad noted that the former health minister has been silent on these allegations and indicated that the release of the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission’s report on the irregularities will bring the truth to light. He warned that those found guilty of illegal activities during the pandemic would face legal consequences.

New Delhi: Amid the controversy surrounding the latest web series directed by Anubhav Sinha, Netflix India has announced that the opening disclaimer of ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ has been updated and includes the real-life names of the hijackers along with their code names.

Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India, released a statement on Tuesday, stating that the opening disclaimer has been updated and they are committed to showcase stories with authentic representation. “For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of hijackers. The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event. India has a rich culture of storytelling and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation,” read her statement.

This Netflix series showcased the code names, namely Burger, Doctor, Bola, Shankar and Chief, used by the hijackers on the flight. There was a massive row on social media regarding the names of Bola and Shankar being used in the series as it reportedly offended Hindu sentiments.

The show starring Naseeruddin Shah, Vijay Varma, Dia Mirza, Pankaj Kapur, Amrita Puri, Manoj Pahwa, Patralekhaa, among others, continues to stream on Netflix.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal

New Delhi : Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday said the killing of a class 12 student after being ‘mistaken’ for a cattle smuggler was due to the encouragement given to the agenda of hate, and asked whether Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will speak up on the incident.

The student, Aryan Mishra, was allegedly chased in a car and shot dead in Faridabad on August 23 by a group of five suspected cow vigilantes who claimed they mistook the boy for a cattle smuggler, police sources said on Tuesday.

In a post on X, Sibal said, “Shame on us. Aryan (class 12th student). Shot and killed by cow vigilantes in Haryana mistaking him to be a ‘cow transporter’! Cause: Encouraging the agenda of hate.”

“Will our PM, our Vice-President, our Home Minister speak up!” the former Union minister said.

All the five accused — Saurabh, Anil Kaushik, Varun, Krishna and Adesh — were arrested on August 28 and remanded in police custody for two days, Superintendent of Police (Crime) Aman Yadav said in a statement released on Tuesday.

During interrogation, the accused claimed that on the night of August 23, they had received information that some suspected cattle smugglers driving two SUVs were doing recce in the city, according to the sources.

They mistook the victim, Aryan Mishra, and his friends, Shanky and Harshit, for cattle smugglers and followed their car for about 30 km near the Gadhpuri toll on the Delhi-Agra National Highway, the sources said.

The accused told the police that when they asked the boy and his friends to stop their car, the driver accelerated, following which they opened fire and Mishra was killed on the spot near the Gadhpuri toll in Palwal, they said.