Bengaluru: In a joint operation by the Bengaluru North Division Traffic Police and RTO officials, 10 school vehicles were seized on Friday for violating traffic rules.

The special drive, conducted on July 11 between 6 am and 9 am, focused on ensuring the safety of schoolchildren and cracking down on traffic violations. A total of 771 vehicles were inspected during the operation.

Among the key violations noted were overloading of students, driving under the influence of alcohol, and other serious breaches of road safety norms.

The traffic police registered six drunk driving (DD) cases as part of the operation. Ten vehicles were seized and notices were issued to the owners through the RTO, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-North) Sirigowri in an official statement.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

Chikkaballapura: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday asserted that he will be in office for a full five-year term.

He said that the Congress party was united and the party’s government will be in power “solid as a rock” for five years.

“Yes, I will be. Why do you have the doubts?” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question by reporters whether he will be the CM for five years.

There has been speculation within political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the Chief Minister change later this year, citing power-sharing agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

However, Shivakumar on Tuesday said there is no discussion on leadership change and stressed on strengthening the hands of CM Siddaramaiah and the party’s government in the state.

Responding to a question on claims by the BJP and JD(S) leaders that the CM will be replaced, Siddaramaiah shot back, “Are they our high command?”

“R Ashoka (Leader of Opposition in the Assembly) is a BJP man. B Y Vijayendra (state BJP President) is a BJP man. Chalavadi Narayanaswamy (Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council) is a BJP man. Will you write if they say such things? Should you verify or not?” he asked.

Alleging the BJP of spreading lies about the stability of the government, Siddaramaiah said that the Congress party was united and the government will be in power “solid as a rock” for five years.

“No one believes in the BJP. They only lie. They are experts in lying. They don’t know how to speak the truth. So, whether they believe it or not, we don’t know. We are all together (in Congress). As I have said in Mysuru recently, we will be in power for five years. Our government will be as solid as a rock. BJP people are daydreaming,” he said.

Accusing the BJP of doing nothing while in power, he asked, what evidence have they left to say that they have worked for the development of the state in sectors such as — irrigation, rural development, public works, education, and health?

“They (BJP) were in power for about four years and for 1.2 years in coalition government with JD(S) under H D Kumaraswamy’s Chief Ministership. What have they done? They have done nothing. By lying they are trying to mislead the people,” he added.

Responding to a question on ministerial aspirants in the Congress, the CM said the Congress high command will decide.

“In a democracy, everyone has the right to become a CM. The high command (of Congress) will ultimately decide. There are about 140 people (legislators) in our party. Only 34 people can be made ministers. Can everybody be made minister?” he asked.

Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar asserted that there is no disgruntlement within the ruling Congress and when Siddaramaiah is there as the CM, there is no need for any discord on the leadership issue.

There was stiff competition between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for the chief minister’s post after the declaration of Assembly election results in May 2023, and the Congress had managed to convince the latter and made him the Deputy CM.

There were some reports at the time that a compromise had been reached based on a “rotational chief minister formula,” according to which Shivakumar will become CM after two-and-half years, but they have not been officially confirmed by the party. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: In the wake of recent cases of deaths due to heart attacks in Hassan, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday cautioned people against symptoms even as an experts committee headed by the Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research has been formed to identify the exact cause behind these deaths.

He urged everyone to visit the nearest health center immediately for a check-up if they have symptoms such as chest pain or difficulty breathing, and not to ignore these signs.

The chief minister said that more than twenty people have died due to heart attacks in the past month alone in just one district of Hassan.

The government is taking this matter very seriously.

To identify the exact cause of these series of deaths and to find solutions, a committee of experts has been formed under the leadership of Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, and they have been instructed to submit a study report within 10 days he said, in a post on ‘X’.

According to him, orders were given to the same committee back in February to conduct a thorough study on the reasons behind sudden deaths among young people in the state, and whether the COVID vaccines could have had any adverse effects. In this regard, the process of examining and analysing heart patients is also underway.

“We too value the lives of children, youth, and innocent people who have their entire lives ahead of them, and we share the concerns of their families,” he said.

Siddaramaiah condemned the actions of BJP leaders, alleging that they are using such matters for their political gains.

“It cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths, as several studies worldwide have recently indicated that COVID vaccines could be a cause for the increasing number of heart attacks. Before the BJP criticise us on this matter, they should ask their conscience,” he added.

The chief minister said the state government is fully committed to finding the true cause behind these sudden series of deaths in Hassan district and across the state and to preventing them.

“With this goal, we have already implemented schemes like Hridaya Jyothi and Gruha Arogya to monitor public health. Based on the report from the expert committee under Dr Ravindranath’s guidance, necessary actions will also be taken. As a government, we are making every possible effort to protect the health of the people,” he said.

According to the health department, a directive has also been issued to form a district-level committee to verify the facts of each reported cases of heart attack death in the media. The committee headed by Dr Ravindranath has been instructed to investigate this matter in collaboration with Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences and to submit a report within 10 days.

Health Minister Dinesh Gundo Rao said Dr Ravindranath committee will look into these deaths, conduct an audit, collect all the necessary information, and check for any abnormalities or variations.

“We’ve taken it seriously. If there are any factors beyond medical reasons, those will also be examined and verified. A proper scientific analysis will be done once the report is ready. We have asked the committee to submit the report within 10 days, and based on that, we will take further decisions,” he told reporters here.

Among the reported deaths due to heart attacks in Hassan, four were in the age group of 20 years and below, one in the age group of 21-29 years, five were in the age group of 30-40 years, seven deaths were in the age group of 41-59 years and one death was in the age group of above 60 years, the health department added.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Slamming the BJP-led government at the Centre for the railway fare hike, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has demanded its immediate rollback.

The railway ministry issued an official circular on Monday, increasing the fares of the non-air-conditioned class in mail and express trains by 1 paisa and all air-conditioned classes by 2 paise per kilometre from July 1.

The daily wage workers, students, small traders, and the common man struggling under rising prices

He said When we increased milk prices to help our farmers, Karnataka BJP shouted in the streets and called it anti-people. But now when the BJP led Union Govt hikes railway fares there is deafening silence. Why

Because this hike doesn’t help farmers or the poor it only helps BJP Government fill its own coffers.

Noting that when metro fares were hiked in Karnataka after 8 years, BJP leaders rushed to blame the Congress government, ignoring the fact that the fare hike decision was taken by a fare fixation committee constituted by the Union Government itself, he said. Back then, the Centre manipulated the narrative to place the burden on the state government Siddaramaiah added.

Stating that the Congress stands with the people of Karnataka and the country who are forced to pay more for essential travel, Siddaramaiah said this fare hike must be rolled back immediately.

Don’t make people’s daily travel another jumla. Let the trains run not the people’s patience he added.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has directed the Transport Commissioner to take strict action against app-based and other autorickshaws in Bengaluru that charge fares above the government-fixed rates, calling the practice a “daylight robbery”.

The minister said permits of such autos should be cancelled and cases registered against the violators.

“If there is a complaint from passengers about overcharging, cancellation of the journey if the higher fare is not paid, immediate action should be taken and the permit of such autos should be cancelled and a case should be registered,” Reddy said in his letter to the Transport Commissioner, on June 28.

“For example: On June 18, 2025, Rapido Auto App charged Rs. 100.89 per km, while Auto O App charged Rs. 184.19 for a 4 km journey. This kind of daylight robbery from the public is unforgivable, strict action should be taken urgently.”

There have been complaints from commuters about rising auto fares. The meter fare is fixed at Rs 30 for the first 1.9 km, and Rs 15 for every additional kilometre.

The Minister noted that although the Transport department has already registered cases against auto drivers for refusing rides and demanding excess fares, complaints from the public continue to pour in.

He has also attached copies of mobile phone screenshots shared by denizens, highlighting instances of overcharging and urged officials to take appropriate action.

“It has been directed to immediately formulate an effective action plan to protect the interest of the public and take stern action against the guilty auto drivers/owners,” he added.

Priyank Kharge

Bengaluru: Following a controversy over Italian luxury brand Prada’s use of footwear closely resembling Kolhapuri chappals, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge emphasised that the names, work, and legacy of the state’s artisans who craft these iconic chappals should be recognised, not sidelined.

Taking a dig at the brand, he said that Prada is selling what are essentially Kolhapuri chappals for Rs 1.2 lakh a pair.

Taking to ‘X’ on Sunday, he said that few people know that a large number of the artisans who make these iconic chappals actually live in Karnataka’s Athani, Nippani, Chikkodi, Raibag, and other parts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, and Dharwad.

“They’ve been making these chappals for generations, selling them in nearby towns, especially Kolhapur, which became the default market and over time, the brand,” he said.

Kharge recalled how, when he was the Social Welfare Minister, they saw Maharashtra pushing for sole GI tag rights over Kolhapuris.

“Through Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation Ltd (LIDKAR), a state-owned establishment that sells leather products, we contested this and fought to ensure Karnataka’s artisans were not left out. I’m proud to say we succeeded. The GI tag was finally granted jointly to four districts each in Karnataka and Maharashtra. This was never about a contest between the two states but about preserving our shared heritage and giving our artisans the legal recognition they deserve,” he said.

The Minister expressed that this Prada episode is a reminder that the GI tag recognition alone isn’t enough and stressed the importance of Cultural entrepreneurship.

“We need to invest in skilling, branding, design innovation, and global market access for these artisans. They don’t just deserve credit, they deserve better prices, wider exposure, and the chance to build lasting, dignified livelihoods from their craft,” he said.

When international fashion houses adopt our designs, the names, work, and legacy of our artisans should be showcased, not sidelined, said Priyank Kharge.

“The GI tag only gives them legal rights. It’s now our responsibility to give them global platforms,” he added.

A day after the body of a 40-year-old woman was found stuffed in a sack and dumped in a garbage truck here, her partner was arrested on Monday for allegedly killing her following a drunken altercation, police said.

The body was discovered by locals on Sunday, who alerted officials at the Chennammanakere Achukattu police station.

The deceased, identified as Asha, a resident of the same area, had been living with the 33-year-old man from Assam. Both worked as housekeeping staff through a private company, hired via aggregator apps, police said.

The couple had rented a house in the locality and introduced themselves as “husband and wife,” though police said this has not been legally verified.

Asha returned home in an inebriated state on Saturday night, which led to a heated argument with her partner. The altercation allegedly turned physical, and she was suffocated to death, police said.

The man then tied up her body, stuffed it into a sack, and dumped it in a garbage truck sometime between late Saturday night and early Sunday, police added.

“Asha and the man had been living together for over a year. On the night of the incident, a drunken argument escalated into a physical fight, during which she was allegedly suffocated to death,” said Lokesh B Jagalasar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

A case of murder and destruction of evidence has been registered at the Chennammanakere Achukattu police station based on a complaint from locals. The man was taken into custody following questioning.

Police said Asha was a widow. Both she and the man had two children each from their previous marriages and were divorced before they began living together. Further investigation is underway.

The police have not yet revealed the man’s name.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

Mysuru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asserted that the Congress government in the state will remain “as solid as a rock” for five years and maintained that he and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar share good terms.

He also hit out at BJP leaders for claiming he would not inaugurate the world-famous Mysuru Dasara celebrations this year, calling them “experts in lying.”

These remarks come amid renewed speculation about a possible leadership change in Karnataka later this year.

“This government will be as solid as a ‘bande’ (rock) for five years,” Siddaramaiah told reporters, with Shivakumar—often referred to as ‘bande’ by his supporters—by his side.

Asked whether he and Shivakumar were on good terms, Siddaramaiah replied, “We are on good terms”. He then held and raised Shivakumar’s hand as a sign of unity.

To a question on attempts to create a rift between them, he said, “We don’t listen to what others say.” Shivakumar nodded in agreement.

When asked about BJP leaders claiming he would not be the Chief Minister to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara celebrations this year, Siddaramaiah turned the question to the media. When reporters said they believed he would inaugurate the event as CM, he quipped, “Then fine.”

“BJP leaders are experts in lying. Sriramulu, who made this claim, has lost how many times? He lost both the Parliament and the Assembly elections. How can someone who keeps losing predict the future?” he asked.

Speculation over leadership change has resurfaced after Congress MLA H A Iqbal Hussain claimed that Shivakumar may get an opportunity to become Chief Minister in two to three months, while Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna hinted at “revolutionary” political developments in the state after September.

Talks of a power-sharing agreement between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar had been doing the rounds for some time but had subsided following clear instructions from the party high command.

Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary in charge of Karnataka, Randeep Singh Surjewala, is visiting the state and will hold separate meetings with party legislators.

Asked about Surjewala’s visit, Siddaramaiah said, “He is the AICC in-charge General Secretary. He will seek opinions from MLAs, hear their concerns, and discuss what needs to be done to strengthen the organisation. He will do his job.”