Belagavi (Karnataka): Yamagarni village in Nipani taluk of Belagavi district recently witnessed a strange sight. A jubilant crowd paraded a black indie dog covered in garlands and held a feast in its honour. For the villagers, the return of the dog, which had been lost, is a miracle.

Fondly called Maharaj, the animal which is well past its prime, was lost in the crowd in the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur in South Maharashtra, but made its way back to the village in Belagavi in North Karnataka, travelling nearly 250km on its own.

In the last week of June, Maharaj had followed its owner Kamalesh Kumbhar when he went on his annual ‘Wari padayatra’ trip to Pandharpur.

Kumbhar, a ‘Warkari’, said he visits Pandharpur every year on Ashadha Ekadashi and Kartiki Ekadashi.

For nearly 250 km, the dog followed the master, who walked with a group of his friends, chanting bhajans.

After the darshan at Vithoba temple, Kumbhar said he noticed that the dog was missing. When he went looking for him, he said people over there told him that the dog had left with another group.

“I still searched for him everywhere and I could not find him. So, I thought maybe the people were right, that he left with someone else. I returned to my home town on July 14,” Kumbhar said.

The very next day though, Kumbhar said, to his surprise “Maharaj was standing there in front of my house, wagging his tail as if nothing had happened. He looked well fed and perfectly fine.”

Overcome with happiness, Kumbhar said, he and the villagers celebrated Maharaj’s return with a feast. “It is such a miracle that the dog could find its way, although it was 250km or so away from home. We think it was Lord Panduranga who guided him.”

Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur

Mangaluru: Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur has announced the relaunch of the ‘Tiger’ operation in Mangaluru on July 29, aimed at clearing footpaths of street vendors to improve pedestrian access and cleanliness. The operation will target prominent areas of the city where footpaths are often obstructed by vendors.

Addressing reporters after a phone-in program at the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) office on Wednesday, Mayor Shetty detailed the clearance plans, which will focus on five key business zones within the MCC administration limits. These zones include two locations near Lady Goschen Hospital and one each in Surathkal, Mannagudda, and Kavoor. The operation will specifically target businesses set up in tents or permanent structures along roadsides, requiring them to vacate the space. However, pushcart vendors will be allowed to continue their trade by the roadside.

Mayor Shetty emphasized that the clearance is necessary to address pedestrian accessibility and road cleanliness. He assured that after the clearance, the MCC would provide necessary facilities to the affected businesses within a month, allowing them to continue their operations without inconveniencing citizens.

The mayor explained that the MCC had previously allowed these businesses to operate on humanitarian grounds. However, efforts to clear roadside stalls, particularly along Airport Road, had met with resistance from vendors who filed police complaints against authorities and attempted to intimidate officers, he noted with disappointment.

Mannagudda Corporator added that local residents had also raised concerns about the business zone in Mannagudda, supporting the need for action.

The press meeting was attended by Deputy Mayor Suneetha, Deputy Commissioner of the MCC Girish Nandan, and the president of the MCC Standing Committee, who all expressed their support for the operation’s objectives to restore public access and cleanliness in the city.

Mangaluru: The city police paid a surprise visit to the Mangaluru city prison at Kodialbail early Thursday morning, as directed by City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, and reportedly seized various items, including mobile phones, scissors and packets of narcotics, that had been provided to the prisoners without permission.

The investigation team included two Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCP) and three Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), along with other policemen. The officers had been directed by the Police Commissioner to conduct an investigation on the means of the prisoners’ access to such items in spite of tight security at the prison.

The police team that visited the Mangaluru prison has confiscated up to 25 mobile phones, 1 Bluetooth device, 5 earphones, 1 pen drive, 5 chargers, 3 cables as well as scissors and packets of narcotics of various types from the prisoners.

Kasaragod: In the wake of heavy rains and red alert from the Meteorological Department in the district, Kasaragod District Collector K. Inba Shekhar has issued orders declaring holiday for educational institutes on July, 19.

According to the order, the holiday applies to all state, CBSE, ICSE schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Anganwadi centers, and madrasas. However, undergraduate and postgraduate colleges will remain operational. The Collector’s order mentioned that there is no change in pre-scheduled exams.The district has been receiving heavy downpours accompanied by heavy winds for the past 24 hours. Several low-lying areas are flooded. Additionally, the rains have caused power disruption. Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department issued a red alert for the district on July 19.

Udupi: In the backdrop of heavy rains and red alert issued by the IMD, Udupi Deputy Commissioner Vidyakumari has issued an order declaring a rain holiday for educational institutes on July 16.

According to the media release from the DC office, all Anganwadi centers, government, aided and private primary, high schools and Pre-University colleges in Udupi district will remain closed on July 16, owing to intensified monsoon in the district.

A tweet allegedly made by a well-known doctor reportedly from Mahesh Hospital in Brahmavara, Udupi district, has stirred significant controversy in the area.

Dr. Keerthan Upadhya, a laparoscopic and laser surgeon, reportedly replied to a tweet on Saturday, July 13, stating “Muslim Community” in response to a question asking, “If you could delete one thing from the planet today – What would it be?”

The tweet quickly attracted widespread attention and criticism from netizens, who condemned the doctor’s Islamophobic remark. Many expressed shock and disappointment that such a statement could come from a medical professional. Screenshots of the tweet were widely circulated online, amplifying the backlash.

Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of the fact-checking organization Alt News, pointed out that Dr. Upadhya had deleted the controversial tweet and locked his Twitter profile, preventing access to his account and tweets.

In a subsequent post, Dr. Upadhya claimed that his account had been hacked and that the offending tweet was made by someone who had gained unauthorized access to his account.

Netizens also claimed that Dr. Upadhya had earlier made similar Islamophobic tweets and shared screenshots of the similar posts degrading Islam made from the same handle.

Mangaluru: Burglars broke into a house in Kotekani here in the wee hours of Tuesday and decamped with gold jewellery and cash, police said.

The incident was reported in Urva police limits. The burglars gained entry into the house by cutting the grills of the window. Only an elderly couple was staying in the house at the time of the theft, they said.

According to police, the burglars after taking gold and Rs 10,000 cash threatened the couple and secured the keys of a car and drove away. The car was found abandoned near Mulky town about 23 km from Mangaluru city. Police recovered a mobile phone in the abandoned vehicle, presumed to be used by the burglars.

This is the second housebreak incident in the past week with a similar ‘modus operandi.’

Police suspect that this gang was carrying out a survey of areas they wanted to target and only chose houses in which only elderly people were staying.

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Mullai Muhilan announced the completion of preparations for the counting of votes schedule on June 4. He was addressing the media at the Mangaluru Press Club on Friday.

Providing details about the tight security measures deployed at the counting center in NITK, Surathkal, Muhilan said that the strong room where the EVMs are stored will be opened between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM, and will be under strict CCTV surveillance. In addition, the officials from the Election Commission can access the strong room only with an official ID card and by undergoing a three-phase security check.

He revealed that the counting of postal votes will begin at 8:00 AM, while the counting of EVM votes will begin at 8:30 AM.

A 100-meter radius around the center has been declared a pedestrian zone, and no vehicles will be allowed inside this area. There will be CCTV surveillance both around and inside the counting center. A steel frame mesh has been installed between the staff and agents at each counting desk to ensure the counting process is conducted peacefully and safely. Election agents must enter the counting center between 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM; late entry will not be permitted.

A total of 14,09,653 votes were cast in EVMs in the district and 8,537 votes were cast through ballot papers, including home voting, service voters, and those on emergency service. A total of 536 ballot papers were sent to service voters, and so far, 231 ballot papers have been received. Ballot papers from service voters received up to one hour before the counting of votes will be accepted, said the Commissioner.

He further stated that the counting of votes by EVMs will be conducted in eight rooms with 14 tables each, totaling 112 tables for each assembly constituency. A separate room with 20 tables has been arranged for the counting of postal ballots. Apart from the Returning Officer, 8 Assistant Returning Officers have been appointed for EVM vote counting. The Commissioner explained that a total of 554 staff members will work in the counting center, including those handling EVM and postal ballots.

The Collector said that mobiles, iPads, calculators, scissors, knives, lighters, firecrackers, electronic items, weapons, and explosives are prohibited inside the counting station. “Candidates or agents are allowed to carry only a pen, sheet notepad, and Form 17C,” he added.

“The security at NITK, Surathkal will operate in three shifts. Civil Police and State Reserve Police Force will provide security at three levels in each shift,” said Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal speaking at the press conference. He further said that a total of 850 police personnel, including DCPs and ACPs, will be on duty on the counting day.

On the day of the election result, a ban has been issued on victory celebrations, including the bursting of explosives and firecrackers, from 5:00 AM to midnight on June 4 across the Dakshina Kannada district, stated DC Mullai Muhilan.

Mangaluru: A 23-year-old woman, who was found “aimlessly roaming” at the Mangaluru International Airport on Thursday was intercepted by the airport security and safely handed over to the police, officials said.

According to the Bajpe police, she had come to Mangaluru airport from Bengaluru by road in the morning. She has also given her place of origin as Davanagere.

Her relatives had filed a missing person report in Davangere four days ago.

The police have sent her to the government’s Wenlock hospital. Her relatives have been informed about her safety and they will be arriving later in the day, police said.

The woman is suspected to be battling depression. However, police said, they are yet to verify from the doctors about her condition.

This is the second incident of a woman roaming free in the airport, only to be secured by the alert security personnel and handed over to the police.

A woman from Kadri in Mangaluru city had travelled to the airport on May 14 and was reunited with her family later.

Hubballi: BJP national president J P Nadda on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the murder of 23-year-old college student Neha Hiremath here recently.

Neha, daughter of Congress corporator Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death by her former classmate in the premises of her college in Dharwad on April 18 sparking widespread protests.

Nadda visited Neha Hiremath’s house and offered condolences to her family. Later, he said the BJP will cooperate if the investigation of the case needs to be handed over to CBI so that the victim gets justice.

Addressing reporters, Nadda said, “I offered condolences to the family and came here to stand with them in this hour of grief.”

“From what I have heard from her (Neha’s) father and the way her mother narrated the incident, it is such a heart breaking incident…,” he added.

Condemning the incident, the BJP chief assured justice to the family of the deceased.

Taking exception to the statements made by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara, he said it would “influence and “dilute” the probe.

If the state police was unable to handle the investigation of the case, Nadda said he would request the state government to handover the case to CBI.

“If the state government wants, they can refer the case to CBI and BJP will cooperate so that this innocent girl gets justice, humanity gets justice and such incidents do not recur in future… even her father has demanded for a CBI probe because he doesn’t have faith in the state police and wants the investigation into the murder of his daughter to be transferred to the CBI,” Nadda said.

The incident snowballed into a political slugfest between the ruling Congress and opposition BJP in Karnataka.

While the ruling party has tried to project it as an “incident with a personal angle”, the saffron party suspects “love jihad” and said that it points to the “deterioration of law and order” in the state.