1. Gauri Murder Trail Leads SIT to Dimapur
It has been over 77 days since Gauri Lankesh was shot dead and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is yet to get the forensic report from the Central Bureau of Investigation to confirm if the same firearm used in the murder of MM Kalburgi was used to eliminate the journalist-activist as well.
The SIT, through the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police, have sought the report from the Central agency and is waiting for their response.
The SIT is also trying to find the source of the country-made firearm used in the crime and is expected to focus on rackets of Dimapur in Nagaland in the coming days.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
2. Padmavati Row: Kannada Artistes Stand by Deepika Padukone
Celebrities of the Kannada film industry have lent their support to Deepika Padukone, who is facing threats from fringe elements over the Padmavati controversy. Many actors, including Upendra, Prakash Raj, Ganesh, Ragini Dwivedi, Priyamani and Shraddha Srinath, stood by Padukone and extended moral support to her.
Upendra, with whom she debuted in the Kannada film Aishwarya in 2006, said, “Threatening her of bodily harm is condemnable. If fringe elements can take law into their hands, what is the need to have a mechanism such as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which is authorised to issue certificate for release of film?”
Multilingual actor Prakash Raj, who has been vocal on social issues in recent times, asked in a tweet how India could call itself a tolerant society when an actor was being threatened of murder or bodily harm. He said those who have problems with the movie must approach the CBFC with their concerns.
(Source: The Hindu)
3. Cong Mulls Prohibition Promise for K'taka Polls
Less than 24 hours after Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah ruled out any liquor ban, insiders in the state's Congress government said the party may include prohibition in its election manifesto for the 2018 polls with an eye on rural women's votes.
A senior Congress member confirmed to TOI: "It's unlikely that Karnataka will announce a total ban on liquor, but the party is definitely contemplating including prohibition in its manifesto." Sources said Karnataka can ill afford a ban since excise revenue forms the second largest tax pool after commercial taxes.
Recently, a 31-member team led by the chairman of Karnataka State Temperance Board, a government agency established to create awareness on the ill effects of alcohol consumption, visited Bihar to understand the financial implications of such a ban.
(Source: Times of India)
4. Eggs Dearer Than Ever
Just as vegetable prices are about to settle down, Bengaluru has been tracking the skyrocketing price of eggs for the last few days anxiously. On Monday, the wholesale egg price touched Rs 5.40, the highest ever so far.
Retailers are selling eggs for up to around Rs 6.5 to 7.5 per piece. Poultry dealers defend the price rise saying that this is only because of the intense cold wave in the northern parts of the country that has resulted in a steep fall in egg production and also increased egg consumption.
Gopi M, a wholesale dealer of eggs in the city, said “Production has declined to about 65 percent in last one month.” Most of the egg production in cities like Mumbai and Namakkal too have been affected. The current rate of egg in Mumbai is Rs 7 per piece and experts say that Mumbai rates reflect the prices in Bengaluru.
(Source: Bangalore Mirror)
5. 5 Auto Drivers Held for Murder
The police have arrested five auto-rickshaw drivers, who reportedly ganged up to brutally murder a 26-year-old colleague in northern Bengaluru last week. Rakesh (22), Mani (25), Vinay (20), Rajashekhar (26) and Chandan (25) had quarreled with Androse over parking at an auto-rickshaw stand. Androse is said to have assaulted two of them. The suspects vowed revenge.
In the early hours of 14 November, they called him on the pretext of offering a truce and attacked him with lethal weapons. They smashed his head with a cement block. The police found Androse's body near the metro station in Mahalakshmi Layout.
They rounded up some of the auto drivers for interrogation. The police corroborated the suspects' statements by reviewing the footage of the CCTV cameras installed in and around the crime spot.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
6. BDA Undervalued PRR Cost by Rs 8,000 Crore: NHAI
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) underestimated the cost of building the 65-km Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) by as much as Rs 8,000 crore, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has claimed.
More than a decade after proposing the project, the state government could not mobilise funds for it owing to rising land prices. In 2016, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah met the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, and requested that the NHAI take over the project.
"We had sent a proposal estimating the cost at Rs 12,000 crore, of which around Rs 8,000 crore was for land acquisition and the rest for building the 8-lane road. Since it provides a bypass for NH7 and NH4, it can be taken up by the Centre," BDA engineer member PN Nayak said.
(Source: Deccan Herald)
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