PRAMESH S JAIN

A thirty three year old Lakshmi V,Serving as DySP in CID found dead under mysterious   circumstances at her friend’s apartment where she was having party along with friends in Annapoorneshwarinagar on Wednesday night.

The deceased is Lakshmi V (33),a resident of Konanakunte in South Bengaluru.

Based on the complaint filed by venkatesh,father of,Lakshmi,the police registered a Suspecious death case and taken four persons into custody for questioning.

The owner of the flat identified as Manu,BBMP contractor told the police that lakshmi had come to his flat for dinner and she was under depression.After few minutes she went inside the room and locked.

Manu and three others broke open the door when there was no response and found she was hanging to the window grill.

She was rushed to a near by hospital where the doctors declared her brought dead.

Venkatesh,father of Lakshmi, in his complaint said that his daughter does not have any issues nor under depression.There was contradictory statement from her friends and the nature of her death hence he filed a complaint.

The police have seized the mobile phones of the friends for analysis while FSL team conducted spot investigation scouring for clues to ascertain the cause of her death.

Lakshmi was earlier treated in hospital for overdose of sleeping pills.

Meanwhile senior officials visited Victoria hospital where the post mortem was conducted to supervise the situation.

A 2014 KPSC batch officer Lakshmi was appointed as DySP in 2017.This was her first appointment as DYSP in CID.

Meanwhile,Karnataka Home Minister,Basavaraj Bommai has ordered an inquiry into the case. Speaking to reporters in Haveri district,Bommai said,I have informed senior officials to conduct a thorough investigation in DySP Lakshmi suicide case he added.

After the postmortem DYSP Lakshmi V body was handed over to her parents and with all state honour she was laid to rest at her native in kolar in the evening by her family members.

Bengaluru, Dec 17: In a fallout of COVID-19, Karnataka will miss the usual New Year day eve celebrations in clubs, pubs and restaurants among other places with the state government banning special DJ dance programmes and parties for four days from December 30.

The government on Thursday issued an order prohibiting such programmes between December 30 and January 2 at clubs, pubs, restaurants and other places where people gather for new year celebrations, citing the prevailing COVID-19 situation.

Ahead of Christmas and New Year, the government also issued a set of guidelines, including barring public from making hand shakes or hugging during the celebrations.

However, there will be no restrictions on pubs, clubs and restaurants in carrying out normal operations in a routine way, the order said.

The guidelines, which also mandated use of green crackers alone during the festivities, will be effective from December 20 till January 2 and were aimed at controlling the spread of the pandemic.

“Keeping in mind public health, there is a need to celebrate Christmas and New Year in a simple and meaningful way. In the wake of this mass parties have been banned across the state at public places, establishments and places where large crowds gather without maintaining social distancing,” the order by Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar said.

Organisers and supervisors at Churches must ensure that a large number of people don’t gather at a time and social distance was maintained. Also people should not indulge in hand shakes or hugging during the festivities.

From December 30 to January 2 parties, special DJ dance programmes and special events at clubs, pubs, restaurants and other places that attract people in large numbers without social distancing have been prohibited.

Gathering of people at public places and roads for celebrations stands prohibited, but normal routine activities can be carried out at these places.

In the guidelines, the Police Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners have been given the authority to impose more restrictions at certain specific roads or places in their jurisdiction.

The order also calls for adhering to COVID related guidelines or restrictions that are already in place to control the spread of virus whose overall count in the state stood at 9.05 lakh as of Thursday with 15,205 active cases.

Pramesh Jain

Four Notorious Inter-state Drug Peddlers arrested by Anti-Narcotics Wing, CCB,Seized Narcotics substances worth Rs.1.15 Crore.

The central crime branch sleuths of Anti-Narcotics Wing on Wednesday made a important major crackdown and busted another inter state drug racket and arrested four who were hoarding huge amount of drugs in a rented house to sell it for the new year revellers.Narcotics substances worth Rs.1.15 Crore Seized from their possession.

The accused has been identified as,M Thirupal Reddy,32 from Ananthapura in Andhra and his associates,Kamalesan,31 and Satish Kumar,27 from Krishnagiri in Tamilnadu and Afzal Pasha from RT nagar.

The CCB narcotics wing which have stepped up vigil anticipating huge cache of drugs smuggled into the city especially in December for the new year .

Sandeep Patil, Joint commissioner of police,told media persons,A team of officials headed by DCP Crime-1,KP Ravikumar,and team on Tuesday based on tip off raided the house in  Venkategowda layout in Kempapura near Hebbala and arrested M.Thirupal Reddy,32 from Ananthapura in Andhra and his associates Kamalesan,31 and Satish Kumar, 27 from Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu and Afzal Pasha from RT nagar and seized 5.6 kg of hasish oil, 3.3 kgs of Marijuana worth Rs 1 crore .

During interrogation it has revealed that Thirupal Reddy was sourcing the drugs from his contacts in Vishakhapatnam and storing in the house ahead of new year,so that they could sell it to his clients.

The team of officials who have seized four mobile phones from them realized that the accused have a long customer list comprising of college students and techies and some of them have also paid advance to the accused to get the drugs on new year.

The CCB officials booked the accused under NDPS act and taken Reddy into custody to ascertain his drug network.

“City Police commissioner Kamal Pant appreciated the CCB efforts”.

Kamal Pant,Commissioner of police,said we have instructed the police to step up vigil and monitor sensitive areas including party places, pubs and hotels and keep close watch on peddlers.

Since this time there is no revellry on MG Road and Brigade road,the police have been asked to focus on hotels,restaurants,clubs,party halls and other public places to ensure covid guidelines he added.

It may be recalled that the Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths of Anti-Narcotics wing arrested a Nigerian national on Tuesday, after months of investigations.The accused, who is popularly known as the Chief, is said to be the kingpin of cocaine supply in the city.CCB police have arrested a couple of accused recently and following their interrogation outcome, police arrested Chidiebere Ambrose.

Finally Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal has appreciated,Joint CP,Crime,Sandeep Patil, DCP Crime-1,KP Ravikumar,ACP, Gautham of  Anti-Narcotics Wing,PI,Mallesh Bolletin,and other staff for the exemplary work done by them and there will be,No SCOPE for DOPE!.Great work by the Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch for busting a notorious inter-state gang of drug peddlers.Ganja and other narcotic substances worth 1.15 Cr, a two-wheeler, and a car have been seized from the accused. A suitable reward will be given to the team he added.

PRAMESH S JAIN

The West Division Police of Byadarahalli police have arrested a 19 year old on charges of Rape and murder.

A 19-year-year-old student who came to city two days back to get admission in a city based college was allegedly raped and murdered by her brother’s friend in Byadarahalli on Wednesday.

Byadarahalli Police have detained the accused,a college student,for questioning.

Senior officer told reporters here,that both the victim and the accused are from the same state and accused is friend of the victim’s brother.

The victim has come to the city to join engineering course,the accused offered to help in her admission since the family had requested him.

Both victim and the accused went to college on Tuesday and half of the admission process was pending so on Wednesday,the accused called her to his room on morning and told her the both can go together.

The victim who was staying elsewhere came to accused house in an autorickshaw on Wednesday morning to go to college to complete the admission process.

The incident came to light when the accused rushed out of his house after some time screaming  for help.

He told the neighbour that his friend is unconscious and also called two of his friends who are staying near by,for help.

With the help of neighbours the accused later took the unconcious victim to a near by hospital in an autorikshaw where the doctors declared her as brought dead.

The Byadarahalli police based on the information rushed to the spot and detained the accused for questioning.

Preliminary probe revealed that the victim was raped and murdered.However further investigation is on to ascertain the motive he added.

BENGALURU: Soon after the House assembled, Deputy Chairman Dharme Gowda, a JDS MLC, occupied the Chairman’s seat even as the quorum bell was ringing and the Chairman who was in his office was yet to arrive inside the House. Angry legislators rushed to the well and physically dragged Gowda from the seat. While the BJP accused the Chairman of holding on to power by rejecting the no-confidence motion without placing it before the House, the Congress blamed the ruling party of trying to prevent the Chairman from entering the House and making deputy chairman occupy the chair even when the chairman was in his office.

After putting Chandrashekar Patil in the presiding officer’s seat, Congress MLCs stood guard around him to prevent BJP members from unseating him. All this while, the Marshals were struggling to control the situation. Amid the din and highly-charged atmosphere, the Chairman walked into House and immediately adjourned the House. But the ruling and opposition members continued to indulge in heated exchanges.  

BJP, the single-largest party in the council with 31 members, accused Shetty and Congress of holding on to the post even after losing the confidence of members and the majority required to continue in the post. The leaders said they had followed required procedures and issued a notice for moving the no-confidence motion, but it was not listed in the agenda as the Chairman rejected it.

“Today’s developments highlighted the Congress culture. They forcibly removed the Deputy Chairman from the seat holding him by his neck,” said Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa after he was briefed about the developments. After JDS openly stated that they were supporting BJP, Congress should have immediately asked the chairman to resign as they do not have the majority, Yediyurappa said.  

Shetty from Congress and Gowda from JDS were elected when the JDS-Congress coalition government was in power. Now, in the changed situation, especially after BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the Council and struck a good equation with the JDS, the party is keen on ousting the chairman, who they accuse of being partisan. But the Congress blamed BJP for the ruckus in the House. “How could the Deputy Chairman occupy that seat when the Chairman was in the office? The Deputy Chairman should not have done that,” Opposition Leader in the Council S R Patil .

Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah said it was a black spot on parliamentary democracy. It was a conspiracy by BJP and JDS, he alleged.JDS MLC Basavaraj Horatti said the chairman lost the majority supprt and since the no-confidence motion was against him, the Deputy Chairman had occupied the seat.The government, however, defended its decision to allow Deputy Chairman to conduct the House. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said, “He (Shetty) has rejected our motion of impeachment, though he has no powers to do so. He cannot be a judge in his own case.” Revenue Minister R Ashoka said, “We condemn the Chairman’s behaviour. Our fight will continue.”

A Report by

Faizan rizwan And lubna rizwan

BENGALURU: Lending credence to speculation that he could be back in the JDS, Congress MLC CM Ibrahim on Monday met JDS national president HD Deve Gowda at his residence. Former CM HD Kumaraswamy and Gowda — who was confined to bed for a few days over back-related issues — spoke to Ibrahim, though the details of the meeting are not clear. It is said that Ibrahim is being offered an important post in the JDS, a party he quit over serious differences with Gowda about 16 years ago.

It is no secret that Ibrahim is eyeing the post of Opposition leader in the Council, expected to be vacated by SR Patil when his six-year term concludes next year. Although Ibrahim has expressed his interest, he has not received any formal assurance from the Congress, which is still weighing its options after suffering serious poll reverses.

Among the frontrunners are backward communities leader BK Hariprasad, who has served as general secretary of ten states and and secretary of six states in the AICC. Ibrahim is not too hopeful as there are doubts that the Congress will elevate a Muslim to the position. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress got wind of Kumaraswamy visiting Ibrahim at his Benson Town residence about six days ago to invite him to rejoin his party, and KPCC president DK Shivakumar himself rushed to Ibrahim’s residence and spent considerable time with him.

Shivakumar said “They have worked together, and it could have been a courtesy call. Ibrahim enjoys secular credentials.’’Ibrahim, once a Gowda loyalist, went on to become a Siddaramaiah loyalist, but of late, the two leaders have fallen out, and MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan is said to have taken his place. Ibrahim has been consistently absent at Siddaramaiah’s meetings too. In 2013, Ibrahim got the Congress ticket from Bhadravati, replacing local leader Sangameshwar, but lost. He was later accommodated as MLC.

‘Centre plans to vaccinate 30cr people in Phase-1, those vaccinated may need booster shot’

ENGALURU: As the mercury levels are dipping, there is a serious threat of Covid second wave in the state. Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar, however, said that the government is well prepared to take on the challenge. On the Covid vaccine, he said that the entire population in the state may not need it. Here are the excerpts:

There is a fear of Covid second wave, and has it already started? What are the preparations made?
The state is well prepared for a possible second wave. Ten district hospitals and 30 taluk hospitals have been allocated Rs 37.72 crore to procure oxygen generators and other equipment. We have held detailed discussions within the task force committee on the steps to be taken to contain the spread over the next three months. Also, Rs 11.32 crore has been set aside to purchase rapid antigen kits and Rs 22.50 crore to source medicines for the next 90 days.

When can we expect the vaccine? Is there a timeline for its delivery and do frontline warriors get it first? Will everyone eventually get it?
Multiple vaccine candidates are in different stages of development. Globally, approximately 50 candidates are at clinical research stage and 25 vaccines in advanced clinical trial stage, including five in India. We do not know who will get the licence, as meeting scientific and regulatory requirements is a must. The vaccine may require 2-3 doses with an interval of 3-4 weeks.

As per WHO guidelines, frontline workers in health and social care settings, people over 65 years old and those below 65 but with underlying conditions that put them at a higher risk of death are the priority, in that order. As per provisional plan for phase one of vaccination, the Union Government is planning to vaccinate 30 crore people (600 million doses) which includes one crore healthcare workers, two crore frontline workers, 26 crore aged above 50 years and one crore aged below 50 years with comorbidities. Not everyone may need the vaccine. Even the length of protection is uncertain and a booster dose may be required after some time.  

How do you ensure that the vaccine is safe and of good quality?
Vaccines which are under development are undergoing clinical trials as per regulatory requirements. The safety of citizens is the utmost priority to the government. There will be no compromise on meeting the regulatory requirements.

Many who participated in the Sira and RR Nagar bypolls tested positive for Covid. Experts warn that Gram Panchayat elections will take the virus to rural parts of the state.
Gram Panchayat polls involve intense campaigning where candidates and workers visit houses multiple times. Given that the winter is setting in, the next three months are crucial. Considering these factors, the technical advisory committee had recommended postponing of local body elections, but the State Election Commission decided to go ahead. The government will take all precautions to ensure that polls don’t spread the infection. I also appeal to all parties, candidates and workers to follow precautions and cooperate with the government.

Now that the New Year is coming, how will you deal with crowds?
The public celebration of New Year’s Eve will not be allowed on MG Road and Brigade Road in Bengaluru or anywhere else in the state. The government has restricted the number of people for the New Year, religious and other events to under 200 between December 20 and January 2. Pubs, bars and hotels should use only half of their seating capacity for the New Year as there is a threat of second wave of Covid.

Most families are celebrating weddings and other events without restrictions.
The government has issued a notification that businesses, like hotels, malls, theatres, restaurants and shops, will be penalised if there is a violation of Covid protocols on their premises.