Pramesh Jain

Bengaluru is witnessing a massive surge in COVID-19 infections in the second wave of the pandemic.

With the spike in deaths,crematoriums and graveyards are overflowing with bodies.

The workers at several of these facilities, however,say that they have not been paid for months and have threatened to stop operations in the coming days.

Working dawn to dusk without rest and protection,workers of the electric crematorium have threatened to stop working unless the working conditions improve.

On Thursday,they wrote to Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court seeking his intervention in the issue.  

As many as 49 bodies have been received at the Sumanahalli electric crematorium since Wednesday morning in which nine bodies are still waiting for cremation.

It takes at least one hour to cremate the body followed by cleaning and premises for the next body.The workers are exhausted because of the heat and at least two of them have injected with the covid positive since last two days.

The sad part is that one of them needed immediate hospitalization and he did not get bed in the city and has to be taken to Kolar.

The workers working round the clock and exhausted and needed rest,Amidst this people shout accused the workers of corruption,which,making the situation worse,A Suresh,state General Secretary of Dr BR Ambedkar Dalitha Sangharsha Samithi,said.

The situation is not different in other 11 crematoriums as the workers complaining that they are not getting rest and have to work under inhuman condition round the clock.

There is no system in place and its like a war zone,Suresh said adding that same situation prevails since last one week .

There is a urgent need that the BBMP officials should intervene and supervise the situation at the crematorium.

The workers at the crematoriums should get to work in at least two shift to work and to be  provided necessary protection from the agitated crowd,Mr.Suresh added .

He further said,Samithi is aware that  crematorium is part of essential service and hence the workers will not stage snap protest from the humanity perspective,but the authorities concerned should also consider the working conditions of the people at the crematoriums he added.

BBMP commissioner,Gaurav Gupta said reporters, that he was not aware that crematorium workers are unpaid.He said I will order the immediate release of salaries to them.

Ambulance Owner and Driver Arrested for demanding Rs.60k from kin of Covid-19 victim to ferry body:

The Northeast Division police of Amruthahalli police on Thursday arrested the owner of an ambulance service and a driver for demanding Rs 60,000 from the family of a covid patient .

The accused has been identified as,Hanumanthappa Singri,30,and Harish.

Senior officer told reporters,a complaint was registered by kin of victim who stated in her complaint that her Father a Covid Prasad was admitted to a private hospital in Mathikere and succumbed on Tuesday.

So to Ferry the body from Peenya to Hebbal the family contacted the ambulance to take the body in cold storage and to carry the body the next day for cremation.

The owner of Nandana Ambulance International situated near Hebbal flyover agreed for the service but demanded Rs 60,000 to be paid immediately.

Bhavya,26,daughter of the deceased who was struggling to arrange the fund,asked them to reduce the amount but the driver who had already taken the body threatened that he would dump the body on the road if money is not paid.

The patients daughter even decided to pawn her Mangalasutra or Thali to get the money and later approached the media seeking help.

With the media intervention Harish Ashwanthnarayana agreed to take Rs.16,000.

When the news spread on social media following which the Amruthahalli police inspector and team visited the firm and conducted an inquiry.

During questioning it was found that they harrased and threatened the Covid-19 kin to dump the body on road and demanded Rs.60,000.

After conducting a detailed investigation the Amruthahalli police inspector arrested the driver Hanumanthappa Singri,30 and Harish Owner of the ambulance and charged them under section 54(Punishment for false warning),of the National Disaster Management Act -2005 and also under section 384(extortion) and also under section,269,(negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life)and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease)of the IPC in Amruthahalli police station and further investigation is on he added.

Pramesh Jain

The Doddaballapur officials have registered a case against power grid officials concerned by a women who alleged that the officials cheated her to the tune of Rs.54 lakhs.

Senior officers said,the officials of the power grid corporation india limited are in the dock for allegedly cheating a woman with the compensation amount of Rs 54 lakh due to her.
Based on a complaint filed by Chenalakshmamma,55 of Allalasandra in GKVK Post,Yelahanka,the Doddaballapura rural police on Saturday registered a case against the officials concerned changing them under section cheating and forgery.

In her complaint,Chennalakshmamma said that she had ancestral agricultural land of a few acres situated in Kamaluru and Antarahalli.

The power grid corporation officials drew 765KV power lines on her land and they  sanctioned Rs 54 lakh as compensation without her knowledge.

The officials later allegedly forged the documents to withdraw the amount and cheated her.

The cheating came to light recently following which she approached the officials for confirming the amount she was entitled and sanctioned before approaching the police .

We have issued notice to the officials seeking details of the amount sanctions and details of the remittance.

Initial inquiry revealed that the officials have sanctioned the amount to the relatives of the complainant,which is the matter of the investigation,a senior police officer said.A case has been registered and investigation is on.

BENGALURU: For the third consecutive day, Karnataka beat its own dubious record of adding the highest number of fresh Covid cases to its tally. The state on Thursday saw a whopping 25,795 cases being added taking the total to 12,47,997 as against 12,22,202 on Wednesday. With this jump, the day’s positivity rate shot up to 15.87 per cent from 15.47 per cent the previous day. It marked a 2.11 per cent growth over the Wednesday tally, which is another dubious record set on Thursday.

The mortality rate, however, is showing some healthy signs as it has been steadily falling, standing at 1.11 per cent now. Health experts explain that the number of deaths is in proportion negligible to the high number of cases adding to the tally. The State Government had aimed to bring the mortality rate below 1 per cent — which has been achieved in Bengaluru at 0.90 per cent.The toll is now 13,885, up from 13,762 on Wednesday.

The troublesome part of the pandemic for the state at present is its increasing active cases, which are currently under treatment. It has risen to a whopping 1,96,236 cases and is a result of the high number of cases being added daily and considerably low numbers getting discharged. Karnataka ranks third in the highest number of active cases among states. The figure was in the 6,000s towards January-end when the state was moving out of the first wave of the pandemic.

NEW DELHI: The administration of COVID-19 vaccine to the those serving in the Army, Navy and Air Force is going in full swing, with half of the Armed Forces having completed the full schedule of the vaccine. Being the frontline workers and health care workers, personnel of the services have been vaccinated irrespective of age.

More than 90 percent of serving personnel have received one dose and more than 50 per cent of the personnel have received the complete schedule of vaccine.”Of the 14-lakh-strong armed forces more than 12.5 lakh have received the first dose whereas the full vaccine schedule has been completed for more than 7 lakh soldiers. Covishield is the vaccine used in the Armed Forces and extra care is being taken to pay attention to the serving personnel, veterans and their dependents.Meanwhile, noting the rush at the Base Hospital Delhi Cantt (BHDC), the Army decided to convert the building into an exclusive COVID-19 facility for the Indian armed forces and veterans, with effect from April 22, 2021.

“As on date, there are 258 oxygenated beds at BHDC which are fully occupied. Nearly 400 plus COVID positive cases with mild symptoms are in home isolation, who otherwise would have been admitted in BHDC,” told a source.“Majority of the cases in BH are of the family members and serving personnel. All OPDs will shift to and function at the Army Hospital Research and Referral,” told the officer.The Defence Services have stepped up resources in areas where COVID patients are arriving in increasing numbers.“Even veterans who are members of ECHS and are equired to be managed by nominated civilian hospitals are being entertained at Military hospitals to the extent possible,” said the sources after speaking to some officers managing the COVID cases for service personnel and veterans and their dependents in the Base Hospital, Delhi.Keeping the anticipated surge in mind further steps have been taken,Adding that the steps were taken anticipating a surge, the source said, “concerted efforts are being made to increase the oxygenated beds in the coming days. The capacity enhancement should materialise in a few days.””All our efforts are being made to ensure health care of all serving and veteran army persons during these trying times,” the source added.

Pramesh Jain

Additional Director General of Police,Bhaskar Rao heading Railway Division is among the seven seniors officers appointed as incharge officers at the seven ranges across the state to supervise and enforce covid guidelines.

While Mr.Rao was appointed as incharge officer for northern range comprising Vijayapura,Bagalakote and Belagavi district,

ASN Murthy,Managing Director for State police housing corporation has been given charge for the Bellary range comprising Bellary and Raichur district.

The other officers includes,Amrit Paul,ADGP recruitment,to the southern range comprising Mysruru,Mandya and Hassan district.

Arun J Chakravarthy,ADGP, Internal security division has been given charge to supervise northern range comprising Bidar and Karburgi district.

Seemanth Kumar Singh,ADGP,ACB,has been given charge of central range includes Bengaluru rural and Tumakuru.

While Umesh Kumar,ADGP,CID has been given charge for Eastern range which includes Shivamoga and Davanagere.

Hemanth Nimbalkar,IGP,Directorate of Civil Right Enforcement,has been given charge of western range including South Canara and Udupi district .

The officers should visit their respective zones immediately to ensure and supervise enforcement and submit a report to DG-IGP by April 26.

The officials should from time to time visit their zones to coordinate,supervise and guide their junior officials in their respective range,Mr.Sood said.

Pramesh Jain

Karnataka government on Tuesday announced weekend curfew across the State in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19.

A circular issued by the government said that there will be weekend curfew from Friday 9 pm to Monday 6 am.On weekdays,night curfew will be in force in the entire state from 9 pm. to 6 am.

Marriages will be permitted strictly adhering to COVID 19-appropriate behavior with maximum of 50 people.The earlier guidelines stipulated a maximum of 100 in closed spaces.Cremation/funerals are to be allowed with maximum of 20 people.

Close to the heels of night curfew and weekend curfew proposed by the state disaster management committee.

City police commissioner,addressing a press conference with other senior officers said, we have imposed prohibitory orders from 9 pm of Wednesday to 6 am of May 4 in the city limits for the effective implementation of the covid protocols.

The order was imposed despite a rapid increase in the number of covid cases,it is noticed that people in certain public places gather in large numbers without maintaining social distance  and violating covid protocol,Mr.Pant said in his order.

citing the reasons,he said that pandemic is spreading fast endangering human life and health.This is causing extreme burden of the health infrastructure also causing panic and restlessness in the minds of the people.

This has adversely impacted peace and order of the city,he added.

In order to prevent danger to human lives,health  and maintain peace and order the order was imposed to restrict the number of people gathering in public places,the order stated.

The prohibitory order which will be in effect from Wednesday night restricts assembly of more than four people in public places.This order is exempted in places like railway station bus stands and metro stations where people have to follow covid protocols .

The city police have been directed to step up patrolling to ensure prohibitory orders in place and any violations will be liable for prosecution under various sections disaster management act section 188 of the IPC and under karnataka epidemic diseases act he added.

As the first day of night curfew begins across city cops were seen announcing in mic and educating people to follow new guidelines issued by Karnataka Government and reach home before 9pm and co-operate with us in breaking the chain in combating Covid19 second wave.

DCPs were seen monitoring their respective jurisdiction all senior officers with the jurisdictional DCPs were on vigil rounds and were seen Monitoring the Night curfew which has begin from today.

All the fly overs were closed many roads were converted into one way and by 9pm many roads of Bengaluru were seen in deserted look with no movement of public and all establishments were closed. Check post were set up at main roads.All ACPs,Inspectors across city were also seen on vigil patrolling in their jurisdiction.

The order will remain in force from 9 pm.of April 21 up to 6 am of May 4.The decision was taken after a series of meetings,including an all-party meeting chaired by Governor Vajubhai Vala.

Pramesh Jain

The east division police of Banaswadi Police on monday arrested a 46 year old bookie running cricket betting online using mobile app.

The accused has been identified as,Juseb Yunis imran resident of HRBR layout.

Senior officer said,the Banaswadi police inspector Sathish received a tip off that one person near HRBR layout Rajkumar park is receiving bets from punters.

Based on the credible information the team rushed to the spot and caught a 46 year old  near Rajkumar park in HRBR layout red handed while receiving bets from punters for the cricket match played between Chennai super kings and Rajasthan royals.

During Investigation the accused confessed the crime and it was found the accused was also receving bets for the cricket match between Mumbai Indians and Delhi capitals scheduled on Tuesday.

The police have seized Rs 86,000 betting amount from him and further investigation is on.

Finally Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant has appreciated Addl CP East S Murugan DCP East Dr SD Sharanappa ACP Banaswadi Sub-Division Ningappa B Sakkri PI,Sathish HS,and crime staff as,Razak, Renuka Nayak,Nasir and other for the commendable job done by them and a suitable reward will be given to the team he added.