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.