1. Fake News Claims Hot Oil Was Poured on Hindu Man, Sparks Violence
Death of a 21-year-old under mysterious circumstances on 6 December, has led to violent protests in many parts of the state. Even though the cause of death is yet to be ascertained, fake news articles and social media messages – claiming torture and murder – have made the mysterious death into a communal issue.
The putrefied body of Paresh Kamalakar Mesta was found in a lake in Honnavar Taluk. As the body was highly decomposed, the post-mortem and viscera tests have been delayed. But before these test results were out, the fake news spread like a wild fire.
Forensic experts categorically denied finding any evidence of hot oil or acid being used on the body.
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2. Belagere Gave His Licensed Revolver to Supari Killers: Cops
Ravi Belagere, the editor of a tabloid who was arrested on charges of conspiring and attempting to kill a former colleague, allegedly gave his licensed .32 revolver to the hitmen he had hired to carry out the job. Police had recovered the revolver and a double-barrel gun from Belagere's office-cum-home at the time of his arrest on Friday. Police say the revolver will be examined by forensic experts.
Belagere's target was Sunil Heggaravalli, a journalist who had earlier worked at Hi Bangalore which Belagere owns and edits. Belagare has a licence for both weapons, but police say he violated rules by possessing more ammunition than stipulated. Investigations have revealed that he possessed 94 rounds of live bullets — far more than the prescribed maximum.
(Source: Times of India)
3. Govt to Allot Plots in Bengaluru to 36 Caste Groups
In a bid to woo different caste and religious groups in the run-up to the assembly polls, the Siddarmaiah government on Monday decided to grant land in Bengaluru to 36 caste groups, even as the forest department claims the land comes under its purview.
The cabinet gave the green signal to allot 58.2 acres, of the 96.12 acres of government kharab gomal land, in Survey No 81 of Machohalli in Dasanapura, Bengaluru Urban district. It'll be given on lease to the caste groups for 'Educational' purposes.
Sources in the bureaucracy told TOI that the 58.2 acres were the bone of contention between the revenue department and the forest department with the latter claiming it's a forest area.
(Source: Times of India)
4. LPG Cylinders Used for Smuggling Drugs
The city police on Monday busted a racket where LPG cylinders are used for smuggling drugs. The police caught an autorickshaw driver and seized two LPG cylinders filled with marijuana. The drugs in the cylinders were bound for Krishnarajapuram to be sold to college students and others on the city's outskirts, the police said. The arrested is Gulab Jaahn alias Gulabi (40), a resident of Vijinapura in Ramamurthynagar.
Based on a tip-off, the police picked up Jaahn when he arrived in his autorickshaw to hand over two cylinders to one of his associates near KR Puram railway station. The police have identified the person who sent him with cylinders and efforts are on to nab him, but the receiver, who was supposed to collect the drugs, was not known to Jaahn, the police said.
The police said peddlers cut the bottom of the cylinders and replace it with a metal sheet with a hinge and a lock. The sheet can be opened, filled with the contraband and locked up again.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
5. Rains Are Gone, but Dengue Refuses to Leave the State
More than 2,000 new cases of dengue were reported in a month from the state and there is no sign of the cases abating. It is alarming because usually number of dengue cases start dipping by October.
Dr Upendra M Bhojani, assistant director Institute of Public Health told BM, “The burden of non-communicable disease is on the rise and now there is a rise in number of communicable disease too. This will add to the per-capita medical expenditure.”
According to Dr Bhojani, the civic authorities have failed to manage resources properly, which is why they could not control the breeding of mosquitoes. “Both the supply and drainage of water is being done shoddily. And the poor state of solid waste management has led to the year-on-year outbreak of the disease,” he added.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
6. Kempegowda Airport in Bengaluru to Get Metro Rail Connectivity by 2021
The long-awaited metro connectivity to airport took a small step closer to fruition with the State Cabinet approving the 29.62-km Nagawara-Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) line on Monday.
The Rs 5,950-crore line, which will have seven stations, is expected to come up by 2021, said the Cabinet note. The meeting, presided by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, also approved the imposition of a user development fee of between Rs 60 and Rs 80 on airport passengers to partially fund the ambitious metro line, with the State government itself pitching in Rs 1,250 crore.
More than 1.25 lakh passengers will be travelling on the line per day, said Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra. The line would cater to those in north Bengaluru (Jakkur, RK Hegde Nagar), Yelahanka (through Kogilu cross station) as well as upcoming industrial areas near Chikkajala, after which there will be two stations to reach KIA.
(Source: The Hindu)
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