Regional

Kolar, May 2 (IANS) A chopper, in which Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar was flying, made an emergency landing after it was hit by a vulture in the sky on Tuesday in Kolar district of Karnataka.

Sources said that a major tragedy was averted and the pilot managed to land the chopper safely.

The incident happened when Shivakumar was travelling to Mulubagal from HAL airport in Bengaluru. While Shivakumar's chopper was in the air, it was hit by the vulture.

Due to the impact, the front glass of the helicopter was damaged and broken. After the incident, Shivakumar returned to Bengaluru.

On April 6, the landing of the chopper carrying former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa was aborted as littered plastic bags came flying near the helipad on the outskirts of Jewargi town of Kalaburagi district.

Yediyurappa had arrived in the town to participate in Vijay Sankalp yatra. The temporary helipad was constructed in the town to facilitate the movement of leaders. But, as the authorities had not ensured its maintenance and not followed protocols, plastic bags in the region came flying at the time of landing of the chopper. The pilot aborted landing and kept hovering in the air until the authorities got the helipad area filled with plastic sheets and waste cleaned.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, April 16 (IANS) Though opposition parties are celebrating and criticising the BJP-led Karnataka government following a reprimand by the Supreme Court over the withdrawal of four per cent reservation quota for Muslims, the ruling BJP is upbeat about the turn of events.

The Supreme Court has recently observed that the ruling BJP government's decision to withdraw four per cent reservation under the OBC category for Muslims appears to be "based on fallacious assumptions" and "was on a shaky foundation".

The reservation quota has been increased for the influential Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities by two per cent each.

The Muslim community has been brought under the 10 per cent reservation provided for the economically weaker sections (EWS).

The ruling BJP government has announced new reservation along with internal reservation for SC/ST groups just before the end of its term. The opposition parties criticised the BJP for the hasty decision on revision of reservation structure.

State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar has openly challenged that it is a matter of days and when his party comes to power after elections, the revision of reservation would be withdrawn.

The opposition made it a major issue and slammed the BJP that the saffron party has insulted the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities by providing the reservation of Muslims to them.

Shivakumar had questioned that had the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities asked to withdraw the reservation of Muslims to increase their quota?

He alleged that it is being done as part of its policy of creating hatred between communities.

Sources in the state BJP unit said that the message has been passed on to the Hindus with the decision being made on withdrawal of reservation for Muslims.

The attacks on the BJP will only polarise the Hindu votes for the party, they added.

Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had earlier said that by shifting the four per cent reservation, there was no harm done to the Muslim community.

"Muslims have been brought under the EWS quota. There should not be any misunderstanding," he added.

Yediyurappa also said that as it was not possible to provide reservation on the basis of religion, they (Muslims) are brought under the EWS quota.

The Central government is implementing "pro-poor" and "pro-farmer" schemes. If there are any differences they (Muslims) will be convinced, he added.

The Karnataka government has announced new reservation quota after the last cabinet meeting. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had announced a reservation of seven per cent to Lingayats, six per cent to Vokkaligas, six per cent for SC (Left), 5.5 per cent for SC (Right), one per cent for Bhovi, Banjaras and others.

Bommai had defended his government's decision that "the religious minorities do not have reservation quota in seven states". The decision has been taken to allot reservation for Muslims under the EWS quota.

He also added that the demand for a hike in the reservation had been pending for the last 30 years but the Congress did not do anything but made false promises. They had thought it would not be possible for the BJP to do it.

"We showed our commitment by getting a report, got the study done, constituted a cabinet sub-committee, and took a bold decision as per law."

--IANS
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Patna, April 15 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday criticised the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government for the hooch tragedy in Bihar's East Champaran district, saying the government is not revealing the actual number of deaths.

At least six persons were killed and nine hospitalised after they consumed spurious liquor in East Champaran district, police said on April 15.

However, the villagers claimed that 22 people died due to the hooch tragedy.

Sushil Kumar Modi demanded an immediate meeting of all the parties to review the liquor policy, and also provide compensation to the victims' families.

"The deaths happened in East Champaran in a liquor tragedy belonging to poor families. The victims belong to Dalit and poor families. The state government is hiding the actual number of deaths. The police officers are going to every house of the victims and applying pressure to not seek the post-mortem (exam). They are asking victims' families to cremate the bodies without post-mortem," Modi said.

"The people who fell ill after liquor consumption are not undergoing proper treatment. There are no facilities of treatment for them in the hospitals. Hence, they are dying in the absence of treatment. The lives of the victims could have been saved if they were provided proper treatment," he added.

Slamming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the senior BJP leader said: "After the Saran hooch tragedy, the CM announced that his government will soon call for all parties to meet to give compensation to the victim's families. So far, it has not called any meeting in this regard. I urge the chief minister to call for the meeting as soon as possible and give Rs 4 lakh each to the family members of the victims."

"The Patna High Court has also asked the state government for the proper treatment to the hooch tragedy victims. The National Human Rights Commission has also recommended compensation of Rs 4 lakh compensation to the family members of the victims," Modi said.

--IANS
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Raigad, April 15 (IANS) In a shocking pre-dawn tragedy, at least 12 youths, including five minors, were killed and another 29 were left injured after a private bus jumped off the old Mumbai-Pune Highway and crashed into a gorge, officials said here on Saturday.

The driver, identified as Mahesh Ramchandra Poojari (35) from Goregaon, also perished in the ghastly accident.

President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and others mourned the tragedy and expressed condolences to the victims' families.

The PM announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each deceased person, and Rs 50,000 for the injured, while Shinde declared an ex-gratia of Rs 500,000 for the families of the dead and full treatment expenses for the injured which will be borne by the government.

Khopoli Police inspector Shirish K. Pawar informed from the scene of the tragedy that the accident occurred at around 4 a.m. on Saturday on the Pune-Mumbai arm of the old highway when the bus reportedly fell into the ravine at least 60-metre below, near the treacherous Bhorghat section.

Initially, when the rescuers rushed there, they could only hear the wails and screams of the victims and it was only around daybreak that the rescue operations gained momentum.

"From preliminary investigations, it appears that the driver may have dozed off or lost control while negotiating one of the steep turns on the highway. Further investigations are underway," said Pawar.

At that early hour, there was limited traffic on the highway but some people managed to rush to the accident spot, called the Raigad Police, fire brigade, some workers from a nearby construction site and Yeshwanti Hikers, a local trekkers' group, for help.

A massive rescue operation got underway with climbers going down to help the victims below, numbering around 42, including the bus driver, in the inaccessible areas.

After nearly nine hours, all the survivors were rescued and the bodies of those killed were recovered.

According to Pawar and the district authorities, 12 youngsters plus the vehicle driver perished in the bus fall, with the possibility of fatalities going up.

Of the 29 injured, some are said to be critical, and are undergoing treatment in the Khopoli Civil Hospital, the Jakhotia Hospital, and the private MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai.

A Raigad police official said that a majority of the passengers were members of the Baji Prabhu Music Group, Goregaon, and comprised five minors, three girls and other youngsters in their teens or twenties, who were returning home after performing at a programme in Pune on Friday.

Among the victims are: Jui D. Sawant, 18, Kritik Lohit, 16, Veer K. Mandavkar, 6-years kid (Goregaon residents) Rahul P. Gothal, 17 of Dindoshi, Abhay V. Sable, 20 and Vaibhavi Sabale, 15, of Malad, Harshada B. Pardeshi, 19 of Mahim, Satish S. Dhumal, 25, Swapnil S. Dhumal, 15, Yash S. Yadav, 20, Manish Rathod, 29 (Chembur), and Aniket S. Jagtap, 25, said the Raigad police late on Saturday night.

Scores of grieving parents or relatives of the deceased victims, who rushed to Raigad, were handed over the bodies of their near-and-dear ones to be taken to their respective destinations for the last rites.

Shinde, along with top police and civil officials, visited the accident site and later met the victims in the hospitals and assured them of full help, and consoled the kin of the deceased.

--IANS
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Patna, April 15 (IANS) In what is being suspected as a case of honour killing, two teenage girls have been allegedly killed by their mother in Bihar's Vaishali district, the police said on Saturday.

Even as the woman -- Rinku Devi -- has admitted to killing her daughters, aged 18 and 16, the police suspect that the crime was committed by her husband, who is currently absconding.

Rinku Devi told the police that she killed her daughters as she was miffed with them for frequently eloping with some youth.

"I have killed the elder daughter first, followed by the younger daughter. Both of them used to elope with youth frequently. They had eloped with two youth 15 days ago. I gagged them until death," Rinku Devi said in her confessional statement.

Om Prakash, SDPO Sadar range of Vaishali, said: "When we learnt about the incident in the morning, a team from Sarai police station went there for investigation. On noticing the police, the girls' father fled from the spot. He lives in Kolkata. We have detained their mother for enquiry. She confessed that she had killed them.

"However, the way she appeared, we doubt if she had actually committed the crime. She is trying to shield her husband," the police officer said.

"On the basis of a confessional statement, we have arrested her and raids are on to nab her husband. Rinku Devi claimed that she was miffed with her daughters and hence, she killed her. The bodies have been sent for postmortem," Om Prakash said.

Meanwhile, Neeraj Singh, the Mukhiya representative of Shital Bhakurahan Panchayat, said: "Rinku Devi came to my house in the morning and said that her husband killed her two daughters. They had eloped 15 days ago and their father was angry over them. He had gagged their mouths until they died. After committing the crime, he fled from the spot."

--IANS
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Chennai, April 15 (IANS) A man from Uttar Pradesh has been arrested by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Tamil Nadu on Saturday on charges cheating the Indian Railways by creating a fake software to book tatkal train tickets.

The arrested person has been identified as Shamsher Alam (40), who has been accused of creating a fake software to book and sell tatkal tickets on the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website since 2012.

Alam was arrested from Tiruvannamalai, where he was produced before a magistrate court which sent him to judicial custody.

RPF officials said that Alam was operating from Titwala town near Mumbai for the past 10 years and had developed a software, ‘Fusion', to book tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website.

According to the local police, Alam sold the 'Fusion' software to private ticket-booking centres across the country which made money to the tune of Rs 50 crore by booking tatkal tickets illegally.

According to the police, five booking agents were arrested in Vellore after a raid in July 2022. The agents informed the police about a fake website that helped them book tatkal tickets faster by using fake IDs and by bypassing the genuine commuters.

These agenst spilled the beans, which led to the arrest of a person named Shailesh Yadav (32), a native of Danapur in Bihar, in September 2022.

Yadav had sold the software through his website (tatkalsoftwareall.in) to ticket booking agents across the country. On questioning Yadav, the police found that Alam was the key conspirator who had developed the software.

Alam initially rented out his software (named Sharp, Tez, Nexus ++ and Fusion) for Rs 500 to customers on a monthly basis. He then joined hands with Yadav and planned and executed the fraud in a major way.

The police said that Alam has cases registered against him in Kurla, Dadar, and Jodhpur police stations.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, April 15 (IANS) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has cancelled the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status of Kannada actor-activist Chetan Kumar Ahimsa, who is known for his 'anti-Hindutva' stands, and directed him to submit his OCI card within 15 days.

Chetan on Saturday confirmed that he has received a letter from the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) asking him to submit his OCI card within the next 15 days, adding that he would challenge the decision in the high court.

Condemning the move, the actor-turned-activist claimed that the notice has been issued to him because he can't be defeated for his society-oriented rational work.

"I obtained the OCI status in 2018. If it is cancelled, I can't contest elections or get a government job," he said.

"I was arrested for a tweet. Cases have been filed against me one after the other. Now, they have sent a notice cancelling my VISA and OCI status," he said.

Chetan's recent claim that the Tirupati temple had been built after demolishing a Buddhist set-up had stirred a controversy. In an interview, he further claimed that Hindu temples were never Vaidik institutions, as they were built after invading and destroying Buddhist religious places.

Chetan in his social media post had claimed that Hindutva is built on falsehood. He also termed the statement by Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar that Hindu nation took shape when Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravan as 'incorrect'.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, April 15 (IANS) In a setback to Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, the Kolar assembly seat has been allotted to a local leader by the Congress. Siddaramaiah had asked for a ticket from Kolar constituency also. Presently he is contesting from Varuna seat.

The party has allotted the ticket to Kothur Manjunath. According to sources in the party, the invisible hands within Congress have denied the safer option to Siddaramaiah by denying him ticket to contest from two constituencies.

Siddaramaiah was planning to retain Kolar and resign from Varuna constituency. He had planned to get his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah elected in the by-polls. However, with BJP fielding a formidable candidate in Varuna constituency in the form of senior leader V. Somanna and Congress denying him ticket from Kolar, sources explain that Siddaramaiah is pushed to tight spot.

Kothur Manjunath stated that the high command has announced his name without asking him. He maintained that Siddaramaiah should be made a candidate from Kolar. "But, if local leaders want me to contest I will," he said.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, April 15 (IANS) Karnataka Congress on Saturday announced the third list of 42 candidates for the state assembly elections. Former deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi, who joined Congress from BJP, has been allotted the ticket from Athani constituency in Belagavi district.

In the party's third list, Laxman Savadi's name appeared on the top.

Interestingly, the party has not announced the ticket for Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency for which former chief minister and senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar has locked horns with the saffron party.

Sources explain that the Congress leaders have already approached and assured Shettar of ticket and position if he joins Congress.

The party has named G.B. Malatesh as the candidate for Shikaripura constituency from where former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa's son B.Y. Vijayendra is contesting.

Siddaramaiah's loyalist Umashree has been denied a ticket from Terdal constituency from where Siddappa Ramappa Konnur has been fielded. Film producer Umapathy Srinivas Gowda has managed to obtain a ticket from Bommanahalli constituency in Bengaluru.

K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, who joined Congress from JD(S), has been allotted ticket for Arasikere constituency. The party has fielded Banavasi Rangaswamy from Hassan seat. Preetham Gowda is BJP's candidate here and since this is the only seat in the district, the saffron party is in no mood to lose it.

The locals say that it is going to be a straight fight between BJP and JD(S) in Hassan.

Congress had announced 124 candidates in the first list and 42 candidates in the second list. It is yet to announce names for the 16 seats.

--IANS
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Raigad, April 15 (IANS) In a pre-dawn tragedy, at least 12 youths, including five minors, were killed while 28 others injured when a private bus plunged into a gorge on Mumbai-Pune Highway on Saturday, officials said here.

President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and others mourned the tragedy and expressed condolences to the victims and their families.

The Prime Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each deceased victim, and Rs 50,000 for those injured, while Shinde has said that an ex-gratia of Rs 5,00,000 will be given to the families of the deceased and full treatment expenses of the injured shall be borne by the state government.

Khopoli Police Inspector Shirish K. Pawar said that the accident occurred around 4 a.m. on the Pune-Mumbai arm of the old highway and the bus reportedly fell into the ravine at least 50 meters below, near the treacherous Borghat section.

"From preliminary investigations, it appears that the driver may have lost control on one of the steep turns on the highway, but our priority is rescue work," said Pawar.

At that early hour, there was limited traffic on the highway but some people managed to rush to the accident spot, summoned the Raigad Police, Fire Brigade, some workers from a nearby construction project and a local trekkers' group for help.

A massive rescue operation was immediately launched with ropes and climbers went down to help the victims, numbering around 40-45 including the bus driver, locals said.

According to Pawar and the district authorities, around 12 youngsters have died in the accident and the number of fatalities could go up.

The injured were rushed to Khopoli Civil Hospital, Jakhotia Hospital, and MGM Hospital in Navi Mumbai for treatment, and the condition of some is reported to be serious.

A police official said that a majority of the passengers were members of the Baji Prabhu Music Group, Goregaon, and comprised five minors and other youngsters in their teens or twenties, who were returning home after performing at a programme in Pune on Friday.

The deceased include Jui D. Sawant (18), Kritik Lohit (16), Rahul Gothan (17) (all from Goregaon); Abhay V. Sable (20) and Vaibhavi Sabale (15) of Malad; Harshada Pardeshi (19) of Mahim; Satish S. Dhumal (25), Swapnil S. Dhumal (15), Yash S. Yadav (20), Manish Rathod (25), Veer K. Mandavkar (6), and one person whose identity is yet to be ascertained.

Meanwhile, scores of grieving parents and relatives of deceased and injured victims rushed from different parts of Mumbai to the accident spot and the hospitals in Raigad and Navi Mumbai.

--IANS
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