Karnataka CM expresses condolences for soldiers martyred in Pulwama

Pulwama terror attack

Kumaraswamy said that he has spoken to the family of the 33-year-old H Guru, who hailed from Mandya district and was martyred in the deadly attack on Thursday.

TNM Staff

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday expressed condolences over the death of 42 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) soldiers who were killed in Thursday’s deadly suicide attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. In a tweet, Kumaraswamy said that he has spoken to the family of the soldier H Guru, who hailed from Mandya district and was martyred in the attack on Thursday and has instructed officials to expedite the process of providing compensation to them. I spoke to martyred #CRPF soldier H Guru's family over the phone and consoled them. Their grief is heartwrenching. We are with them. I have instructed officials to speed up the process of compensation.#Pulwama — H D Kumaraswamy (@hd_kumaraswamy) February 15, 2019 Guru (33) hailed from Gudigere village in Maddur taluk of Mandya district. He was one of 42 security personnel who lost their lives in the suicide attack. He was a member of the 82nd battalion of the CRPF and was headed to Srinagar from Jammu. He studied in a government school in Gudigere and took up a course in mechanics at an Industrial Training Institute. He completed his training but he did not take up a job and instead joined the Indian armed forces around five years ago. He was posted with the 94th battalion in Jharkhand. Around six months ago, he had moved to a new residence in his village and had got married to Kalavati, a resident of nearby Saasalapur village. He is survived by his wife, his father Honnaiah, mother Chikkolamma, and two younger brothers, Madhu and Anand. Guru would visit his home once in six months. He left his home in Gudigere on February 10 and was set to join his battalion in Srinagar when the CRPF convoys were attacked. "In spite of being in the army, he lived a simple life here. He would visit for 15 days every six months and in his friend circle, he was very popular. He always spoke about his work for the nation and he had recently got married," says Sagar, a friend of Guru from Gudigere. Guru’s family is in a state of shock ever since the news of his death flashed on television screens on Thursday. A large number of people gathered at his residence in the village upon hearing the news. His mortal remains are set to arrive at his home on Friday and the district administration is making arrangements for his funeral.  

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Bengaluru police arrest one for murder of woman executive in service apartment

Crime

The victim was identified as 33-year-old Rajita Kadappuram, who was staying in Crest on the 7th floor of Prestige Shantiniketan located on ITPL Road, Whitefield.

TNM Staff

Representational image

Police in Bengaluru’s Whitefield have arrested a member of the laundry staff hailing from Manipur for allegedly killing a Mumbai-based HR executive residing in a service apartment. The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Laishram Hemba Singh. 33-year-old Rajita Kadappuram, who was staying in Crest on the seventh floor of Prestige Shantiniketan located on ITPL Road, Whitefield, was found murdered in the second week of February. Police suspect that Rajita was killed on the intervening night of February 8 and 9. Rajita was working with Helma India and used to work half of every month from Bengaluru. During her stay in the city, she used to stay in the service apartment, as her office was located in the same complex. In Mumbai, she used to live with her parents and her husband was working with an airline in UK. Police claim that Laishram has confessed to have killed her for money. Speaking with The HIndu, a senior police officer said that Laishram had gone to return Rajita’s room to return her clothes and noticed she was alone. He then entered her room by pushing her inside and hit her with an iron rod and made sure she was dead by smothering her, police said. He also allegedly made away with Rs 3,500 and two of her mobile phones.    Her body was found lying in a pool of blood by her neighbours and colleagues who opened the door with a spare key, after they could not reach her on her phones on February 9 evening. She was found with froth in her mouth, which led to the suspicion that she had attempted suicide. But the post-mortem report confirmed that she died because of smothering and an injury on her head. “The provisional opinion is that the cause of death is due to the combined effect of smothering and head injury sustained,” the Times of India quoted the post-mortem report as saying. A detailed chemical analysis report is awaited.  

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Cong betrayed farmers, waived off only Rs 1,000 cr out of Rs 41,000 cr: Amit Shah

Politics

BJP President Amit Shah was in north Karnataka as part of his two-day visit to the state for pre-poll campaign.

IANS

BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday accused Congress President Rahul Gandhi of betraying Karnataka's farmers. "Gandhi promised to waive loans of all farmers across Karnataka. But his coalition government waived only Rs 1,000 crore out of Rs 41,000 crore promised by Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy months ago," said Shah at a party meeting in Sindhanur, 400 km from Bengaluru. "The BJP is progressing under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government announced Rs 6,000 per annum in the interim Union Budget for fiscal 2019-20 to farmers having 5 acres of land across the country," he said in his address to the members of the Shakti Kendra Pramukh Samavesh. He also dared Gandhi to name the leader of 'mahaghatbadhan' (the opposition grand alliance). Noting Kumaraswamy had said he became Chief Minister due to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and not because of the people, Shah also mocked him for saying recently that he was working like a clerk owing to the Congress. Shah is on a two-day visit to the state for pre-poll campaign ahead of the general elections.

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Karnataka Assembly passes Budget amid ruckus by BJP, adjourned sine die

Politics

With the budget being passed, the Speaker adjourned the house sine die ahead of its concluding day on Friday, as there was no pending business,.

IANS

PTI/file photo

The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the budget for 2019-20 amid ruckus by the opposition BJP over an attack on its legislator's house at Hassan, allegedly by workers of the ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) on Wednesday. "Sensing no let-up in the disruption of the proceedings by BJP legislators, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy moved the finance bill for the approval of the assembly by voice vote on the direction of Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar without debate," a senior official told IANS. Kumaraswamy, who holds the finance portfolio, presented the budget on February 8 amid walkout by the BJP members on the grounds that the ruling JD-S-Congress government had lost "majority" as a few Congress legislators skipped the session last week. The chief minister on Thursday also got the approval of the house for the Karnataka Appropriation Bill 2019 for vote on account, supplementary estimates and the motion of thanks to the Governor's address, added the official. The vote-on-account will allow the state government to draw money for expenditure till July 31. With the budget being passed, the Speaker adjourned the house sine die ahead of its concluding day on Friday, as there was no pending business, the official said. With the BJP disrupting the session since Monday to protest a Special Investigation Team probe into the audio tape which allegedly revealing an attempt by BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa to lure away JD-S legislator Naganagouda Kandkur to his party and the JD-S attack on its legislator Preetham Gowda's house at Hassan, the assembly could not even debate the address by Governor Vajubhai Vala to a joint sitting of the legislature on February 6. Protesting the budget passage without discussion, about 100 odd BJP members staged a walkout before the Speaker adjourned the session first till 3 p.m. and for the day. Earlier in the day, a BJP delegation led by Yeddyurappa called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan and submitted a letter against the state government and the ruling JD-S for not acting against its workers who attacked its MLA's house at Hassan.  The JD-S workers were said to be enraged over Preetham Gowda's abusive remarks against their supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy that were also recorded in the audio tape. Hassan is the Deve Gowda clan's home district and he is the sitting MP from there. Yeddyurappa urged the Speaker to hold an inquiry into the attack and Ramesh Kumar has directed the state government to give protection to Preetham Gowda and his family and ensure safety of their house and property.

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Court allows House Democrats to join Obamacare's defense

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Karnataka CM HDK’s brother Ramesh, others accused of land grabbing

Land grab

The present value of the land is touted to be Rs 11 crore by the complainant.

Soumya Chatterjee

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s brother Ramesh and others have been accused of grabbing government land worth Rs 11 crore and measuring little more than 1.5 acres. A complaint alleging the same has been acknowledged by the revenue department which TNM has accessed. The concerned land is located in Survey no 116, Ballur Village, Attibele Hobli, Anekal Taluk. Deputy Commissioner Bengaluru Urban BM Vijay Shanker could not be reached for a comment. The complaint by RTI activist and lawyer TJ Abraham registered on Wednesday states that the alleged land grab in Attibele attracts Sections 4 and 5 of the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act, 2011, Section 5 and 6 of the Karnataka Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1974, 192-A, 192-B, 192-C of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964 and Section 120B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, 1806. The complaint also alleges that the District Commissioner, Bengaluru accepted land conversion applications “intentionally conniving” with Ramesh. The complaint along with some documents states that originally in Survey no 116, a part of the government land measuring up to 4 acre and 12 gunta were granted to three different persons in 1981 under the Land Tribunal, Anekal Taluk under Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961. In 1996, one DC Nanjundaiah purchased all the three parcels of land measuring up to 4 acres and 12 guntas. In 2005, Ramesh and Nanjundaiah allegedly entered into a property deal. A sale deed was executed in which DC Nanjundaiah allegedly made a fraudulent claim as being the owner of an additional 1 acre 12 guntas of the same Survey no 116. With this, he claimed to be in possession of the entire 5 acre 24 guntas of land. The land records show that this additional 1 acre 12 gunta of land was never owned by Nanjundaiah but was now registered in Ramesh’s name. The complaint notes even while converting the same land, Ramesh made two separate applications for conversion from agriculture to residential purpose. One for 4 acre 12 gunta and another for 1 acre 12 gunta. Abraham in his complaint has quoted Supreme Court orders to emphasise that “entries in the revenue records do not create any title over such land.” Later in 2012, Ramesh through a registered Sale Deed sold the 5 acre 24 guntas of land to Sri Sai Developers. In turn in 2013, Sai Developers sold the property to Mitravinda Trust.

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Citizen activism wins: KSPCB issues closure order on Graphite India in Whitefield

Environment

Although the KSPCB had issued a closure order back in 2012, it was overturned by an appellate authority order and was later stuck in a legal tangle.

Soumya Chatterjee

The sustained two-decade long legal fight by the residents of Bengaluru’s Whitefield against Graphite India, for a cleaner and healthier environment, has finally paid dividends and reached its logical conclusion. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has issued a closure order and called for cutting off electricity, water supply to the factory in the neighbourhood. “Along with the factory, we are sending it to concerned agencies/ departments. They have to take the steps to stop water and electricity supply,” Ramesh Kumar, Senior Environment Officer, KSPCB told TNM.   The Deputy Commissioner of Bangalore Urban District has been asked to seize the factory premises. Photo of ORDER copy This development comes just two weeks after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ruled in favour of the petitioners, who claim they have been exposed to greater air pollution and are at a higher risk of pollution-related health complications since Graphite India continued operations by exploiting legal loopholes and due to lack of stringent measures by the KSPCB. Read: Win for B’luru’s Whitefield residents: NGT restores ‘closure order’ on Graphite India The NGT in its January 31 order had restored the closure order given by the KSPCB in 2012. However, the 2012 closure order by the KSPCB was overturned by an appellate authority order and was later stuck in a legal tangle. The residents have been fighting against the factory in their backyard, which they claim has been polluting the ambient air over the years by violating norms. The NGT order had asked for a study to be conducted within two months by an independent panel comprising members from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), KSPCB and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI). The NGT order was preceded by the Supreme Court fining Graphite India Rs 50 lakh as per the 'polluters pay' principle in October 2018.The ‘polluter pays’ principle dictates that the liability for any damage incurred to the environment or an individual falls on the one who is responsible for the same. Senior staff at the Bengaluru factory of Graphite India refused to speak on the matter.      

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