Parmesh S Jain

Amid tension over the defacing of the statue of 19th century warrior Sangolli Rayanna here, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said “decisive action” would be taken against miscreants who disturb law and order in the state.

State government would take decisive steps to stop vandalism.Stringent action would be initiated against those who take law into their hands, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said speaking to media persons in Belagavi.

“The main perpetrators of the recent vandalism in Karnataka have already been arrested. We will not allow any hooliganism to continue,” Bommai said.

State Home Secretary and DG of Police have taken up the issue with their Maharashtra counterparts to protect the life and property of Kannadigas in Maharashtra, and also providing security for Karnataka government vehicles, Bommai said.

Replying to a query on miscreants defacing Sangolli Rayanna’s statue in Belagavi bordering Maharashtra last week, Bommai said the police have arrested all the main accused related to the case.

There is no question of letting go even an inch of Karnataka’s border. It is a clear stand of the government that the Mahajan report is final on the border issue, still, some individuals and organisations are repeatedly causing disturbance to the peace and it is condemnable.

This House unanimously condemns such acts and decides to punish the miscreants involved in it,” Bommai said.

Following the defacement of freedom fighters’ statues in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said in the state Assembly that the accused in these incidents will be booked for sedition as they are “anti-nationals”.

“The previous governments were never doing this. We are controlling them all,” Bommai said.

The House sought action against those who indulged in such activities, including workers of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samithi (MES).

Bommai informed the legislators that the government is planning to book the accused in these incidents for sedition and also under the state’s Goonda Act. “

There are some leaders who are behind these actions and they want to disrupt peace and harmony. We will go after the people who are behind it and will take action.

They are (Sangolli Rayanna and Shivaji Maharaj) are freedom fighters who fought for the nation and whoever indulges in maligning their images are anti-nationals,” he added

Meanwhile, various Kannada organisations on Monday staged protests blocking the National Highway-4 at Hire Bagewadi in Belagavi where the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha is located.

The activists who came to Belagavi in huge numbers from various parts of Karnataka staged a road blockade.

They were seen intercepting ministers and legislators who were on the way to the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha, where the Legislature session is on, demanding stringent action and ban on the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, members of which were allegedly behind the incident.

Praveen Shetty of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, who spearheaded the agitation, demanded the externment of MES activists.

We demand ban on MES and externment of their leaders. They dare to destroy the statue of Sangolli Rayanna. We will observe bandh. We are all going to meet together under the leadership of Vatal Nagaraj,” Shetty told reporters.

Parmesh S Jain

Two persons were killed and two others injured when a speeding Sports Bike collided head on with another bike on Hosur service road in the wee hours of Monday.

The deceased have been identified as Jitin Josh, 25 and his friend Sonu, 30.

The accused has been identified as,Sharath Aditya,24.

Senior officer,as, DCP Traffic East Shantharaju M with ACP and Electronic City traffic inspector Venkatesh rushed to the spot and after inspecting the accident spot and collecting information from the jurisdiction police personnel and passerby.

Senior officer told reporters,the deceased were working in real estate and interiors and living at a rented house on Huskur road.

On Sunday night they were returning after dinner when the accused identified as Sharath Aditya, 24, riding his sports bike with his friend Santosh , 23, riding pillion, was riding rash and negligent manners.

He lost control over the bike and collided head on with the bike coming from the opposite direction.

The impact of the accident was so high that all four were thrown up in the air and crashed on the road,sustaining severe head injuries.

Passers-by rushed the four persons to near-by hospitals where Jitin Josh was declared dead on arrival while Sonu succumbed to his injuries later.

The other injured Aditya and Santosh were being treated at hospital and the Electronic city traffic police have taken up a case against Aditya, charging him under rash and negligent driving and death due to negligence and after his recovery we will take action against the accused as per law and further investigation is on he added.

Parmesh S Jain

RTI activist has been arrested by the Chennammana Kere Acchukattu police on charges of threatening an assistant engineer of the BBMP.

The accused has been identified as, Krishnamurthy Gowda,aRTI activist and Reporter of Surya Voice Newspaper a resident of Nagendra block.

Senior officer told media persons,Shwetha B,an assistant engineer of Kathriguppe BBMP ward office, had lodged a complaint on Saturday stating that Gowda was coming to her office and was enquiring about matters not related to him, thereby wasting the time of the goverment staff. Besides,he was also following her when she out on offical work.

“On Saturday around 4 pm,Gowda allegedly entered her cabin while she was in a discussion with a consultant and abused her for no reason, threatening he would ensure that she loses her job.

Based on her complaint, CK Achukattu police inspector, Janardhan PR and his team arrested Krishnamurthy Gowda a Reporter of Surya Voice Newspaper and a RTI activist and has been produced before the judge for further investigation he added.

Parmesh S Jain

Chilume Math Basavalinga Swamiji of Magadi Taluk in Ramanagara district has committed suicide by hanging in the math on Monday morning.

The deceased,Basavalinga Swamy, hailed from Doddaballpura taluk and was staying in the math since 1982.

Senior officers as,Ramanagar SP,Girish S,along with Kuddur police inspector and staff rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area and after inspecting the spot and collecting information from the staff.

Senior officer told media persons,A 62-year-old seer of Chilume Math at Solur village of Magadi taluk in Ramanagara district,reportedly ended life by hanging in the math on Monday morning.The reason for the incident is yet to be ascertained.

The incident came to light at around 7.30 am when the staff of the math came for work.He found the seer hanging from the window grill in the math premises,and alerted the police.

Priliminary investigation revealed that it could be a case of suicide.However,we have taken up a case of suspicious death based on the complaint filed by the staff.

Though the seer has not left any death note,he has written in his diary about his financial transactions.

As per the statement of the staff, the incident has taken place after the seer performed puja early around 5 am.

The staff has also mentioned that the seer had some health problems and appeared upset over the last two weeks.We are awaiting the post mortem report for further action.

A case of unnatural death is registered in Kuddur police station and further investigation is on he added.

Parmesh S Jain

Shivaji Maharaj,Kitturu Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna are great patriots. They should be respected, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here and appealed to people not to pay heed to rumours.

Shivaji Maharaj,Kitturu Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna fought for freedom of the country,they fought for unification of the country.

Dividing the society in their name should be condemned,Bommai said.

Sending a strong message against any acts of vandalism,Bommai said,our government will not tolerate any acts of violence.It will be taken seriously and the vandals would be dealt with sternly.

Already 27 persons in Belagavi and 7 in Bengaluru have been arrested in connection with cases of vandalising the statues of Shivaji and Sangolli Rayanna.”

The Chief Minister appealed to the people not to pay heed to rumours. “Nobody should indulge in spreading false news and incite the people.

The above said incidents are being propagated in different shades to mislead the people. This is far from truth.

I have immense respect and pride for the patriots. People should not get swayed by rumours,” he said.

Parmesh S Jain

Security of Kannadigas settled in Maharashtra is our government’s responsibility,Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Speaking to media persons about incidents of vandalism that rocked Belagavi on Friday night he said,maintaining law and order in Karnataka is our responsibility.Similarly, It is the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to maintain law and order there.

Referring to incidents of stone pelting on buses and private vehicles and other acts of vandalism, he said,our Director General of Police will speak to his counterpart in Maharashtra about security of Kannadigas there and attack on buses and private vehicles from Karnataka.

Our Home Minister will take up the issue with his Maharashtra counterpart.Then, if necessary,I will speak to the Maharashtra Chief Minister.”

Replying to a question about Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut giving a call for Marathas to unite, Bommai said,responsible people should never incite any one under any circumstances.

Chatrapati Shivaji,Sangolli Rayanna and Kitturu Rani Chennamma fought against the British for freedom.They fought to unite the country.

We will be doing a disservice to them if we fight to divide the society. Nobody should incite the people to take law into their own hands.

A total of 30 people have been arrested in connection with the desecration of Shivaji Maharaj & Sangolli Rayanna statues: Karnataka CM Basavaraja Bommai.

Shivaji Maharaj & Sangolli Rayanna, both are freedom fighters&our idols. I respect & follow them. Some anti-social elements trying to create disturbance & trying to divide people in terms of language& other things: Karnataka CM Basavaraja Bommai on the desecration of statue.

Parmesh S Jain

The Sadashivanagar police in Bengaluru have stepped up investigations to identify the miscreants who defaced a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at at Bashyam Circle near Sankey Tank under Sadashivanagar police station limits on Friday.

The police suspect the statue was blackened in response to the burning of the Kannada flag in Maharashtra.

On Friday morning,a group of people gathered in front of the statue,shouting slogans.According to eyewitness,they threw ink on the statue and escaped.

The jurisdiction police arrived at the spot soon after.The statue was cleaned and personnel were deputed in the area to ensure there were no further incidents,said a police officer.

In the wake of the tension in Belagavi, jurisdictional police have been instructed to step up vigil and provide security cover to statues in other parts of the city as well.

A case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the Karnataka Maratha Welfare Association (KMWA)and investigations are on to identify those who were involved in the act.

After inspecting the spot and based on technical evidence and with other inputs the special team have detained one person identified as Naveen who first posted about the incident on social media with this other six persons have been detained in connection with the incident as it is alleged that Naveen the person who first posted the pic of defaced has link with miscreants who blackened the Shivaji statue.

The Sadashivanagar police are questioning them in an undisclosed place and further investigation is on and teams are on job to nab the miscreants and such act will not be tolerated across city commissioner of police,Kamal Pant warns miscreants who are disturbing peace and harmony in the city and ask the police personnel to be vigil and deploy additional police personnel near the statues in the city he added.

Parmesh S Jain

The Yelahanka police on Friday arrested a 27-year-old yoga instructor who killed his live-in partner over a financial row and tried to make it look like an accidental death .

However, based on a Post mortem report, the police grew suspicious and summoned the accused for questioning.A detailed questioning led him to confess to the crime following which he was arrested and the murder weapon was seized for further investigations.

Senior officer told reporters, the deceased Ganga, a 32-year-old nurse at a private hospital in the city and native of Udupi had joined the yoga classes conducted by Sham,a certified yoga instructor and native of Dandeli.

Soon the duo became close,got into a relationship and started living together.Ganga quit her job to start yoga classes and Sham had helped her financially by paying Rs.1 lakh to set up the business.

The duo even planned to marry in February this year and even Sham had rented out a bigger flat at Yelahanka new town to move in after the marriage .

On Wednesday the couple had a fight over the money and in the melee sham picked up the metal show piece and hit Ganga on her head.

Ganga collapsed and fell unconscious following which Sham strangled her to ensure she was dead and later took her to the hospital to cook up a story that she had an accidental fall .

The Yelahanka police have booked Sham on the charges of murder and are investigating further to ascertain the reason behind the murder.