Mandya: On Wednesday night, Nagamangala witnessed a wave of violence as looters targeted over 25 shops, vandalising properties and setting stolen motorcycles ablaze. The unrest followed clashes between two groups the previous day.

CCTV footage revealed the extent of the destruction, showing men breaking into a bike showroom, damaging vehicles before setting them on fire. Miscreants also dismantled surveillance cameras before looting several shops, including a textile store and a scrap materials shop, both of which were reduced to ashes.

The fire department received its first alert at 9:15 PM, with units from Nagamangala, KR Pet, Mandya, and Channarayapatna joining forces to extinguish the blaze. Around 50 firefighters battled the flames until early Thursday morning.

Nagamangala police have registered 10 FIRs, including charges of arson and theft. In response, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal announced a bandh in the town on Friday.

Nagamangala : Three more people have been held in connection with the clashes that broke out between two groups during a Lord Ganesh idol procession, police said on Friday.

The situation in Nagamangala town in Mandya district has returned to normal two days after the clashes on Wednesday following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension.

Though the situation remains peaceful in the town, additional police forces have been deployed and prohibitory orders preventing the assembly of more than four people have been imposed in the area till September 14 as a precautionary measure.

With the fresh arrests, the total number of people held in the case now stands at 55.

A team of experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory also visited the spot on Thursday to collect evidence.

“The situation is peaceful here and besides the 52 people already arrested, we have secured three more people in connection with the incident. We have additional police forces deployed and prohibitory orders will be in place till September 14,” Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baldandi told PTI.

A case has been registered for unlawful assembly, attempt to murder, obstructing public servants, destruction of public property and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

A few people, including two policemen, sustained minor injuries in stone-pelting.

The situation has been brought under control and additional security forces have been deployed, police said.

According to police, an argument broke out between two groups, when the Ganesh idol procession by devotees from Badarikoppalu village reached a place of worship on Wednesday, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation. Following the clashes between the two groups, a few shops were vandalised and goods torched and vehicles set on fire on Wednesday night, they added.

Police used mild force to disperse the crowd to control the situation.

The group of youth that carried out the procession halted and staged a protest near the police station, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the violence.

Chikkamagaluru: In the wake of Wayanad landslides, State government has ordered for the clearing of encroachments in the ecologically sensitive areas along the Western Ghats and Malenadu on Tuesday. Following this, the forest department has cleared encroachments in cases that has been already settled at the courts and the department is gearing up for more clearance.

Forest department has also issued clearance notices to unauthorized resorts and home-stays which are situated in ecologically sensitive areas and forest land. Based on the orders of the Minister for Forest and Ecology Eshwar Khandre’s orders, District Forest Officer (DFO) Ramesh Babu has issued notices to more than 25 home-stays and resorts in Chikkamagaluru sub division and has demanded them to submit the revenue and other related documents authorizing their construction.Along with unauthorized resorts and homestays, Forest department has also decided to clear residential layouts and plantations in encroached forest land. The department has also asked the unauthorized establishments, including estates and plantations, in Chikkamagaluru notified forest lands to immediately submit their revenue documents.

Malenadu region of Chikkamagaluru, nestled amidst the Western Ghats mountain range, attract thousands of tourist everyday which fuel the ever growing tourism industry in the coffee-land. Home-stays and resorts have come in almost all remote regions of the district to provide basic amenities to the visitors. Amidst all the authorized tourist establishments, many unpermitted resorts and home-stays also function, adding to the ever increasing nature-tourism menace. Environmentalists have repeatedly raised alarm against such tourist abodes. Wayanad and Ankola landslides have added impetus to the state’s anti-encroachment drive in Western Ghats, a globally recognized biological hotspot.

Tumakuru: Five people were killed and four others were injured in an accident involving two cars in Madhugiri Taluk here on Sunday, police said.

According to information available as of now, three among the deceased are said to be from the same family travelling in a car, while the other two were in another car police said.

The deceased were three men, an eight-year old boy and a woman.

Four people including a baby who was injured were shifted to hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.

Iqbal

Mangaluru: A rickshaw driver, Iqbal (47), passed away due to a heart attack while waiting in a queue at the Central Railway Station Rickshaw Park on Tuesday.

Originally from Vidya Nagar, Bajal, Iqbal was residing in a rented house in Borugudde, Adyar Kannur.

He reportedly experienced sudden chest pain while in the queue, and despite efforts by fellow rickshaw drivers to rush him to the hospital, he succumbed before receiving medical attention.

Iqbal is survived by his wife, three children, and several relatives.

Yatnal had said half of Pakistan stays in Dinesh Gundu Rao’s house

BJP MLA Basana Gouda Yatnal

Bijapur: The Hon’ble Special Court constituted to try MP and MLA cases (42ACMM) has directed the registration of a criminal case against BJP MLA Basanagouda Yatnal. This decision follows a private complaint filed by Tabassum Dinesh Rao, who alleged that Yatnal made defamatory remarks targeting her and her family.

The complaint stems from a statement made by Yatnal during the Lok Sabha elections on 6 April 2024, where he addressed the media and made derogatory comments about Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao, the Hon’ble Minister for Health, Karnataka, and his wife, Tabassum Rao. Yatnal reportedly stated that “half of Pakistan resides in Dinesh Gundu Rao’s house,” insinuating anti-national sentiments due to Mrs. Rao’s religion.

The inflammatory remarks were widely reported in the Praja Vani newspaper and by several regional Kannada media channels. The statement, which questioned the integrity and allegiance of Mrs. Rao to the Indian Constitution and laws, caused severe distress to her and her family, including their two daughters.

Yatnal, who has a history of making derogatory remarks against Muslims, allegedly referred to Mrs. Rao as “Pakistani” due to her Islamic faith and her inter-religious marriage. The complaint highlighted previous instances, including a speech on 6 March 2024, during the Shivaji Jayanthi celebrations, where Mr. Yatnal allegedly stated that if he were the Home Minister, he would organize encounters to eliminate all Muslims in Vijayapura.

In response to these remarks, a private complaint seeking the registration of a case for offences under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was filed on 15 April 2024. Evidence was presented before the court on 31 July 2024, including newspaper reports and other materials.

After considering the evidence and the content of the private complaint, the Hon’ble Special Court has now taken cognizance of the case and ordered the registration of a criminal case against Yatnal. Advocates Surya Mukundaraj and Sanjay Yadav B. represented Tabassum Rao before the court.

Hubballi: The Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has rolled out a door-to-door waste collection initiative in all wards. The new system, implemented by the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Unit, aims to prevent garbage from piling up on roads, public spaces, and open sites in Hubballi and Dharwad.

The decision to introduce this waste collection system and impose fines follows growing concerns over the public’s negligence in maintaining the city’s cleanliness. Many residents and shop owners have been discarding waste in public areas, despite previous warnings from authorities.

BM Mallikarjun, Executive Engineer of the SWM Unit, noted that while initial efforts to warn the public about littering had been made, some individuals and businesses, particularly paan shops and roadside eateries, ignored these warnings. Consequently, the SWM Unit has now begun imposing fines on those caught littering. Mallikarjun emphasized that the Unit is committed to enforcing these penalties without exceptions.

As part of this enforcement, the SWM Unit has already fined several violators. For instance, residents and a hotelier in Wards 6 and 14 were traced and fined a total of ₹5,400 after waste was found dumped beside the road. Mallikarjun highlighted that the SWM Unit has a fleet of 236 vehicles dedicated to daily waste collection across Hubballi-Dharwad, handling between 450 to 500 tonnes of waste.

To further deter littering, the Corporation has installed 120 CCTV cameras in key residential areas and markets. These cameras will be monitored regularly, and any individual or business caught discarding waste in public places will face penalties. The fine for individual violators is set at ₹100, with higher fines for shop owners. Repeat offenders among shop owners may even face the cancellation of their trade licenses.

Mallikarjun urged citizens to cooperate by waiting for the Corporation’s waste collection vehicles instead of dumping garbage on the streets. He also assured that the SWM Unit would continue its stringent enforcement measures until the practice of littering is eradicated.

Shivamogga: In a preemptive move, the Shivamogga District Police conducted a surprise raid at the Central Prison early on Wednesday morning, just before the arrival of two key accused in the Renukaswamy murder case. The raid was led by Superintendent of Police (SP) GK Mithun Kumar and involved a team of 120 police personnel.

The inspection comes ahead of the transfer of Jagadish and Lakshman, two of the accused in the high-profile Renukaswamy murder case, who are being relocated to Shivamogga from the Central Prison in Bengaluru.

During the search, the police team inspected all barracks and cells within the prison. While they discovered beedi and cigarette stubs, no prohibited or illegal items were found on the premises.

This raid is part of a broader security measure taken by the authorities following reports that several individuals involved in the Renukaswamy murder case, including Kannada film star Darshan, are being transferred from Bengaluru Central Prison to various other prisons across the state. Jagadish and Lakshman are set to be housed at the Shivamogga Central Prison, and the inspection was carried out as a precautionary step to maintain order and security within the facility.

Chamarajanagar: A man was arrested by Excise officials on Wednesday for illegally transporting liquor on a two-wheeler in Yalandur taluk.

The accused, identified as Shivaswamy, was caught on Honnur Road while attempting to conceal 6 liters and 520 ml of liquor in a plastic bag.

Excise personnel, who were on road patrol, seized liquor valued at ₹2,918 and a vehicle worth ₹70,000 from the accused.

Following the arrest, Shivaswamy was taken into custody and later sent to judicial custody.

The operation was led by Chamarajanagar Zone Excise Inspector Mahadev C.M., with the assistance of Sibandhis Raghu and Nagesh.

Sharath Kalyani

Shivamogga: Sharath Kalyani, local BJP media department leader, has been taken into custody by the Shivamogga Women’s Police Station following allegations of rape and fraud. The arrest came after a 43-year-old divorced woman, who works in a private company, lodged a complaint against Kalyani, accusing him of deceiving her into a relationship under the pretense of marriage.

According to the complaint filed on July 26, 2024, the woman had known Kalyani since August 31, 2023. She claimed that Kalyani had concealed his marital status and engaged in a physical relationship with her, promising marriage. The woman also alleged that Kalyani convinced her to provide financial assistance, amounting to four lakhs, citing personal financial problems.

The situation escalated when the woman insisted on marriage, and Kalyani began avoiding her. When she visited his residence, Kalyani allegedly verbally abused her, physically assaulted her, and threatened to kill her if she came near his house again.

The police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Section 376(2)(n) (rape), 420 (cheating), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation).

A team led by a female inspector arrested Kalyani in Vijayapura taluk and brought him in for questioning.