Bengaluru: Three more people who returned from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the mutant strain of coronavirus, taking the total of such cases to ten in Karnataka, Health Minister Dr. K Sudhakar said on Monday.

He also said 75 people who returned from the UK were yet to be traced and the Home department and the city corporation authorities have assured to locate them soon.

“Thirtyfour UK returnees tested positive for COVID-19.

Mutant coronavirus is found in ten people among them and all of them are recovering in government hospitals,” Sudhakar told reporters here.

On tracing of the other returnees from the UK, where the new strain has been detected recently, he said three of them have given foreign addresses and efforts were on to reach them.

Speaking about the indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, the Minister said it was a matter of pride for Indians as the country has developed vaccines in a record time ahead of many developed nations.

All the corona warriors will be administered vaccines in the first phase, the Minister said.

“I have personally spoken to the scientists involved in the research and development of vaccines and it is safe. This is a gift to the world by India,” Sudhakar said.

The Minister said the preparations were on to distribute the vaccine and private hospitals will also be roped in if required.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

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A six year old leopard was killed when speeding vehicle collided with it near Devegowda doddi in Satanuru on Kanakapura dindigallu National highway on Sunday evening.

The leopard presumably crossing the road when it was hit by a vehicle.

The incident occurred when few villagers passing by notices the big cat lying in a pool of blood and alerted forest officials.

The forest department officials rushed to the spot and shifted the animal for post mortem, while gathering evidences at the accident spot. The officials have also spoke to villagers to identify the killer vehicle.

The officials also alerted check post staff to gather details about the vehicles passed and whether they have noticed anything unusual, a senior officer said.

It may be recalled a two and half year leopard was rub over by vehicle in similar incidents in Channarayapattna forest range on October last year.

The officials said that the animals run over by speeding vehicles while crossing the road as they are blinded by glaring lights.

We have put up signage at the strategic location asking vehicles to be more careful, but such incidents unfortunately reoccur,forest guard said.

 KPCC president D K Shivakumar on Friday mocked Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for claiming that he will complete his remaining term of two years and five months.

BENGALURU: KPCC president DK Shivakumar on Friday mocked Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa for claiming that he will complete his remaining term of two years and five months. Shivakumar criticised the CM, saying that the claim itself is an indication that Yediyurappa is facing a threat. “There was no need for the chief minister to make such a statement,” he added.

“BJP legislators, including MLA Basanagouda Yatnal, have been saying that there will be a new leader after January 15. The chief minister is trying to pacify himself, saying that he will remain in the post,” he said, responding to a question on Yediyurappa’s assertion.

Shivakumar said that he is satisfied with Congress party’s performance in Gram Panchayat elections. “Despite pressure and use of money and muscle power by the ruling party, Congressmen worked efficiently and achieved good results for the party that is in the opposition,” he added. Shivakumar said that he will tour the state from January 5 to 18. “2021 will be the ‘Year of organisation’ and ‘Year of toil for the Congress’,” he added.

Hitting out at the government for its “failure” in containing the UK variant of coronavirus, Shivakumar wanted to know why travellers were not checked at the airport itself. “It is basic common sense. It is the administration’s failure,” he said.

He blamed the Central and state governments for the spread of the virus and alleged that they failed in implementing control measures at early stages.

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The West division police,on Thursday,raided a house belonging to a realtor and recovered 114 liquor bottles which he had allegedly procured from the Air Force canteen through his source and was selling it to his clients.

The accused has been identified as Mani,61,resident of West of Chord road by profession he is a realtor.

Senior officer said,Based on a tip off a team of Basaveshwaranagar and Magadi road police raided the house and during search the team found liquor bottles stored illegally in his possession the team found BLACK & WHITE-26 bottles,100 piper’s-55 bottles,Peter Scot-15 bottles,Blender Prides-13 bottles,MC Roys-05 bottles altogether 114 bottels,All are 750 ML size.Totally 85 liters of liquor of different brands seized from his possession.

During interrogation Mani told the police that he was sourcing the liquor from his contact from the Air Force canteen Mekhri circle at subsidised rates and was selling it to his clients at regular,or sometimes higher rates,depending upon the situation.

According to the excise officials,only three liters of liquor is permitted to be stored in house,but Mani stored 85 liters without required bills he added.

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With the count down for December 31 is nearing, the city traffic police geared up to ensure that peaceful event.A six hours vehicular movement banned in and around MG road from 8pm to 2 am .

BR Ravikanthe Gowda, joint commissioner of Police, traffic,said that as many as 191 nakabandi check point has been set up at the strategic locations across the city to check traffic violations especially drunk and drive incidents.

According to him equal number of pick up squads have been formed which are stationed at the nakabandi spot to handle drink drivers and subject them to medical examination.

Mr. Gowda,warned motorists not to drunk and drive failing which their DL,vehicles will be seized apart from slapping hefty fine and booking them under various sections of IMV act and also under IPC,he said.

The traffic police held a meeting with the managements of pubs bars and restaurants issuing them directions.

The management should identify the drivers who were drinking and should offer alternative arrangements like providing drivers or booking them cabs.

Since the CBD area including MG road, Brigade  road,church Street,Indiranagar 100 feet road and part of Koramangala are turned into no man’s zone, people who are visiting these areas for dining purposes should have booking coupons with them.

The traffic police along with their law and order counterparts will intensify patrolling around the city to keep an eye on the revellers on the road.

While flyovers across the city has been shut down,patrolling also intensifies on NICE road and ring roads.He even said we will close the elevated flyover connecting to International Airport.

There will be prohibitory for traffic from 8pm to 6am in CBD areas like MG Road, Church Street, Brigade road,as it will be turned into No Man’s Zone area.

All the 44 traffic police station will be on high vigil and we have identified more than 619 picket points across city for checking drink and drive and squads have been formed to check on wheelie and drag racing .

We will close NICE road by barricading the area and elaborate tight security will be in place traffic police and law and order police will work together for the safety of citizens.

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A 19 year old labourer was killed in freak accident while he was shifting copper wire in a lift at the factory in chandra layout on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as,Indrajith kumar,19,from Bihar was working as helper in Manan products,an copper wire manufacturing unit situated in Aziz sait industrial area in Gangondanahalli.

Around 8.30 am Indrajith along with his colleague Nitesh kumar were shifting wire bobbins from ground floor to first floor in  lift.

While coming down the lift due to technical snag plunge to 8 feet.Due to this Indrajith lost balance, slipped from the lift and crashed on the iron gate of the ground floor.

He sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to a near by hospital from there to RR hospital,Athriyam hospital,Victoria hospital before he was taken to KIMS where the doctors declared him as died on the way.

Based on the complainy filed by Niraj Kumar, brother of Indrajith,the police have registered a case against owner,Rakesh Gupta and Babu Supervisor charging them under death due to negligence. Chandra layout police are further investigating the case to ascertain the reason behind the incident .

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New coronavirus strain:First sealdown of apartments in Bengaluru after three of family test positive for second wave of UK Corona virus :

First multi-storey apartments in vasanthpura and in JP Nagar has been seal down by BBMP after a family returned from UK found positive for the New coronavirus strain in Bengaluru.

The residents in Vasanthapura bommanahalli protested after bbmp and police landed at the apartment complex along with ambulance to take them for quarentine after a family of three from UK returned and tested covid positive on December 18.

The BBMP quarantined the family while the residents subjected to tests few days ago as secondary and primary contacts.

However on tuesday the bbmp team along with police returned asking the residents to go along with them for institutional quarantine facility at a hotel.The residents refused stating that they have tested negative and the move is to harass them.

They demanded the authority to seal down the apartment and assures to cooperate following which the officials seal down the apartment and blocked the entry and exit of roads leading to the apartment.

Last week all residents tested and negative  Morning bbmp officials along with police came to take the residents for Quarantine.Residents alleged harassment and protested that they be home quarentine.

How can we stay in hotel who will take care of our expenses and treatment, questioned the residents.Budging to their demands the bbmp,seal down the apartment for 28 days.

There are small kids and aged parents at the apartment who will take care of them and if anything happen who will take responsibility, another residents demanded.

We have not seen the family which had come from UK.They are already taken away by bbmp and quarantined.

The police have been deployed to monitor the residents.We are just carrying the government. Order and no intention to harass anyone,a senior official of the bbmp health department said.

Dr GK Suresh,Deputy Health Officer, Bommanahalli zone,who was at the apartment said,Since the apartment dwellers did not agree to be shifted out,we have sealed down the apartment.As many as 37 people are residing in 12 houses here.We will be placing barricades here.They will all be secondary contacts as they’ve all used the same lift and staircases.All their samples have been taken and have been sent to the lab for RTPCR tests he said.

Dr Vijayendra BK,Chief Health Officer,Public Health,BBMP,said,Primary contacts of Covid positive UK returnees have been asked to be shifted to institutional quarantine,that is,hotels, by the government.Till last night, there were 45 primary contacts of 16 Covid patients from UK in the city.Previously,they were in home quarantine.

The medical officer finally relented and said they’ll be kept in home quarantine itself.Two policemen will be stationed there and everyday disinfection of the apartment premises will be done.

Dr.Sudhakar,Health and Medical Education Minister told media persons that,Measures to trace contacts of 3 infected,Of the 2,406 people who came to Karnataka between December 1 – December 21,the state government has been struggling to locate nearly 570 of them who have gone missing.

We have sought the assistance of the state Home ministry and police officials to trace these 570 people who have switched off their phones and remain untraceable.Of the 1,614 passengers who came to Bengaluru,26 had tested positive for Covid-19 and of them, three have tested positive for the new UK strain of the virus.

Finally he said,Also unlike the 14 day quarantine period, which included seven days at the hospital and seven days at home, those having a new strain will be isolated for a period of 28 days at a hospital or quarantine centre where they will be monitored and treated, the minister added. Fellow passengers of those carrying the new strain have been identified and are being tested,Of the 570 missing passengers, 204 have given addresses in Bengaluru.

3 out of 26 people whose sample have been tested in NIMHANS were found positive for new variant of Corona virus.They have been admitted in the hospitals and measures are on to trace the contacts of these three people said Dr.Sudhakar

ICMR has been collecting the information of Covid positive persons who were returned from United Kingdom.This is uniform and centralised system and there is no confusion in it.There is no need for panic as much of the returnees are tested negative.We are tracing out the people who have switched off their mobile phones said, the Minister.

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Instant Loan App Racket busted by CCB,Trio-held  over Harrassment on instant loan app, Laptop’s Mobile seized.

The CCB officials on Monday arrested three persons who are part of the loan app racket run by Chinese companies.

The police raided the firms situated in Koramangala and seized the equipments including 35 laptops,200 mobile phones and other equipments used by the accused.

The accused has been identified as,Syed Ahmed, 33,from Shamanna garden,Syed Irfan,26 from BTM 2nd stage and Aditya Senapathy of Ramagondanahalli were appointed as directors of the companies owned by Chinese nationals.

The accused run the business using Chinese mobile Apps including moneyday,paisa way and inchash apps offering instant loan and charges exhorbitant interest.

The accused also hires few BPO companies to manage the loan disbursement and repayment process.

The accused would threaten and blackmail customers if they fail to pay EMI online and do not have required permission from the competent authority to run financial activities.

Sandeep Patil,Joint commissioner of police crime,said,Based on a complaint filed by three customers the CCB filed separate cases and raided Ace pearl service private limited, situated at 7th block Koramangala and arrested the accused.

Based on their information the CCB police team  also raided Higeki service private limited,exceedwell service private limited,MascotStar service private limited and Aqua Steller private limited,which are operating mobile loan app services.

During investigation it is revealed that there are two Chinese nationals involved in the case.The team investigating the case have information about them and will be arrested soon, he added.

It may be recalled that the cyber crime CID officials busted similar racket few days ago.

Finally Bengaluru Police Commissioner,Kamal Pant,has appreciated,Joint CP Crime,Sandeep Patil,DCP Crime-1,KP Ravikumar and his whole team and said i greatly applaud CCB team for cracking down on mobile-app based instant loan companies.These microloan apps used to lend money at a high-interest rate and harass the defaulters through coercive methods a suitable reward will be given to the team he added.