Nithyananda’s ashram in Ahmedabad vacated by cops, district officials seize property

Crime

This comes a day after the CBSE cancelled the affiliation granted to Delhi Public School in the city for allowing the ashram to function illegally within its premises.

Soumya Chatterjee

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The district authorities in rural Ahmedabad on Monday made the devotees vacate rape accused self-styled godman Nithyananda’s ashram as part of the crackdown against the controversial religious preacher. Nithyananda is wanted by Gujarat Police for child abuse and other criminal charges like abduction and kidnap. Visuals from the scene showed all of them leaving the ashram as police and district administration officials took over the property and seized laptop, mobiles and other electronic devices. This comes a day after the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) cancelled the affiliation granted to the Delhi Public School in greater Ahmedabad. The affiliation was cancelled after it was established that the Delhi Public School in rural Ahmedabad (eastern outskirts) allowed Nithyananda’s ashram to function within its premises through a “forged’ NOC (No Objection Certificate). PTI quoted the CBSE note as saying, “The provisional /general affiliation upto senior secondary level granted to the Delhi Public School, Hirapur, Taluka Daskroi, Ahmedabad, stands withdrawn with immediate effect." The Board, however, allowed students of classes 10 and 12 to appear for the Board's examination in the year 2020, and shifting of students of classes 9 and 11 to nearby CBSE-affiliated schools. The state Education Department was also earlier asked to conduct the inquiry expeditiously and convey the outcome of the report and status of the NOC issued by the state department to the school for seeking CBSE affiliation. Read: CBSE seeks probe into DPS school premises leased out to Nithyananda ashram According to sources, police have secured video footage from the seized devices which show the physical assault and harassment meted out to the minor children living there. Monday’s incidents come as part of a crackdown by Gujarat Police against Nithyananda and his ashram, after a Bengaluru man approached the Gujarat State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR) in November and also the Gujarat High Court. The complainant Janardhana Sharma, is a former disciple of Nithyananda, who was once closely associated with him and had alleged that his children were brainwashed and tortured at the ashram. While his two younger daughters returned to him following police action, his two elder daughters refused to leave Nithyananda’s organisation. However, the Gujarat High Court on November 26, had ordered the police to track the two women who were seemingly in Trinidad and were voluntarily part of his organisation. The HC also advised the police to consult the Interpol, Ministry of External Affairs, and other relevant authorities to trace the two elder daughters.  Gujarat Police since then, had booked Nithyananda and arrested two of his aides under Sections 365 (abduction), Section 344 (wrongful confinement), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code along with sections of the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. The suspects, Pranapriya and Tatavapriya, continue to remain in jail as a local court denied bail to them on Monday. More recently, the Karnataka CID and Gujarat Police had carried out a joint raid at his ashram in Bidadi near Bengaluru. Speaking to a TV channel, Janardhana Sharma said, “They are all running away because of all the evidence which was seized by the police, and this is only the beginning. The police have seized from the ashram several mobiles, laptops and tablets in which many photos and videos can be found of all the beating and harassment done to the kids there. All this evidence must be investigated and further action should be taken against such persons. It was being run neither as a school nor as an ashram.” Meanwhile, Nithyananda remains absconding as he has been avoiding trial in the rape case against him. Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police (SP), RV Asari, had earlier told reporters that he has left the country.  According to whistleblowers, he is currently in Ecuador after he made his way out of the country through Nepal, which allows Indians to travel there without passports. A copy of Nithyananda’s passport accessed by TNM shows it was due to expire in September 2018 and was not renewed due to the rape charges. However, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that it is not aware where Nithyananda currently is.

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Amrita college suicide: Cops have CCTV footage of Harsha's last meeting with teachers

Crime

Sri Harsha's father came to Bengaluru on Monday to meet police officials, in his pursuit for justice.

Theja Ram

It's been a harrowing long wait for Vijay Bhaskar, father of Sri Harsha, the 21-year-old, who took his own life at Amrita School of Engineering in Bengaluru on October 21. It's been over a month since Harsha’s death and the Parappana Agrahara Police, who are investigating the case claim that a chargesheet will be filed within the next two weeks. “I have my suspicions on the college. When the college reopened on November 18, they (administration) held a meeting with all parents. The parents were told that Harsha ended his life for personal reasons and that the college was not responsible. We have been waiting for weeks for some progress. We only want the investigation to happen in a fair manner,” Harsha’s father who was in Bengaluru to meet the police told TNM. Investigating officers say that they have managed to obtain the CCTV footage of the proceedings of the Disciplinary Committee (DISCO) hearing at the college on the day of Harsha’s death. Police also rubbished media reports, which claimed that Harsha’s death was due to personal reasons and said that they have gathered all evidence necessary for a strong case. Speaking to TNM, investigating officials said that on October 21 morning, Sri Harsha was called into the DISCO meeting, where the lecturers allegedly informed him that they had “proof that he had broken a CCTV camera in the college,” when protests had broken out on September 23. “We can see the lecturers telling Harsha that several other witnesses had told them that he was the one who broke the CCTV camera. When they repeatedly kept telling him that he would be suspended, Harsha reiterated that he did not do it and that he had only clicked the picture of the broken camera and put it up on Snapchat,” an investigating officer told TNM. When the DISCO members could not get Harsha to say that he had broken the camera, the lecturers allegedly began asking Harsha as to who broke the camera. Investigating officers say that based on the footage they have gathered from inside the meeting room, Sri Harsha allegedly named a fellow student. However, Harsha maintained that these were only rumours and he did not know conclusively who had vandalized the camera. “The DICSO members finally made him write a statement to the effect that he had clicked the picture and that the other student had broken the camera. This was on the promise that he would not be suspended. But after Harsha signed the letter, they informed him that he would be suspended,” the investigating officer said. When asked why the accused in the case were not arrested, police said that it is not mandatory to arrest accused in cases of abetment to suicide. Police said that the accused had co-operated with the investigation and that college had given access to the CCTV cameras. “The two cleaners of the college, who cleaned up the crime scene, told us that they were informed by their superiors to clean up. But they said that on the day Harsha died, there were too many people around the campus and in the hurry and panic, they can't remember who told them to clean up. We have booked the college management for destruction of evidence,” the investigating officer said. The police say that they have all things in place to file the chargesheet and only need two eye witnesses – Harsha’s classmates – Sai Vardhan and Azmath’s statements. As the students had exams, they were allegedly unable to attest their statements in front of the magistrate. Police say that the statements will be taken on December 7, after which a chargesheet will be filed in the sessions court.    

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In Karnataka, several rebels turned BJP candidates face heat from voters

Politics

Mandya, Athani and Yellapur are among the constituencies that are proving challenging for the disqualified MLAs.

Theja Ram

As the bye-elections for 15 Assembly constituencies approaches, some of the rebels who have defected to the BJP, are facing the heat from their constituents. Among them are disqualified MLAs Narayana Gowda (KR Pete), Shivaram Hebbar (Yellapur) and Mahesh Kumatahalli (Athani). The bye-elections are slated for December 5 and vote counting is on December 9. With rebels suffering the ire of their constituents, BJP insiders say that there are doubts about these candidates winning the bye-polls Trouble in Mandya In Mandya’s KR Pete, former JD(S) rebel, who is now the BJP’s candidate, Narayana Gowda has obtained police protection, fearing backlash from angry constituents and JD(S) workers. KR Pete has for long been a bastion of the JD(S) and Narayana Gowda has been elected as the MLA of this constituency for two terms – in 2013 and 2018. However, ever since he began making statements against JD(S) supremo, HD Deve Gowda, anger has been brewing among his own constituents, BJP sources say. The fallout was evident when constituents attacked him with slippers outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mandya, when Narayana Gowda had gone to file his nomination on November 18. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy, who was with Narayana Gowda also got hit with slippers. Narayana Gowda has also been at the receiving end of criticism from his own constituents during his campaign and hence, he has been provided with security personnel to ensure his safety. BJP insiders say that many KR Pete’s residents are affiliated to the JD(S) and by speaking against one of the tallest leaders from the Vokkaliga community, Narayana Gowda may have got himself into a position of disadvantage. Narayana Gowda began speaking against Deve Gowda when he and other rebels were staying in Mumbai. “Deve Gowda is trying to sabotage me. Why are you (Deve Gowda) trying to stamp out honest leaders? Please leave us alone… He cannot stand it when people from the Vokkaliga community apart from his family members to gain popularity,” Narayana Gowda had said in July. BJP insiders now concede, “No candidate has won elections in Mandya by speaking ill of Deve Gowda. With Narayana Gowda fearing for his safety, it does not build confidence in the voters about electing him.” Backlash in Athani and Yellapur In several villages in Belagavi’s Athani, residents have erected boards saying ‘no entry for rebel leaders’. This board was also put up in disqualified MLA Mahesh Kumatahalli’s hometown – Telasanga village. “Athani is the land of Lord Shiva. There is no place for people who sold their post as legislator for money,” the board reads in Kumatahalli’s hometown. The board was erected with a picture of former Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, who was responsible for exposing the multi-crore mining scam allegedly perpetrated by the Reddy brothers in Ballari. BJP sources say that constituents of Athani were unhappy as Mahesh Kumatahlli was lodged in the hotel in Mumbai, when floods had ravaged Belagavi. “The compensation amount is taking time to reach the flood victims and this has led to anti-incumbency in several parts of Athani,” the BJP source says. The situation is similar in Yellapur, where rebel leader Shivaram Hebbar’s convoy was gheraoed in Ajjarani village on November 27. Villagers shouted slogans against Hebbar and questioned him as to why he did not visit the constituency when the floods had affected the villagers. Hebbar was among the rebels who was in Mumbai when the floods occurred. The local BJP cadre too have rebelled against its own candidate. In Ajjani, BJP workers also blamed Hebbar for the party’s defeat in the 2018 Assembly elections. The local rebellion and anti-incumbency have put Shivaram Hebbar at a disadvantage, BJP sources say. “We have BJP leaders with good reputations campaigning for these rebels. In Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana, the rebels were defeated and this has become a concern for the party and constituents are openly saying they will defeat Shivaram Hebbar and Mahesh Kumatahalli. We are banking on the Modi factor to win,” the BJP leader says.    

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Heavy rains with lightning expected at isolated places in K’taka including Bengaluru

Weather

In Bengaluru, Monday and Tuesday have been forecast to be generally cloudy with a few spells of rain, accompanied by fog and mist in the morning.

TNM Staff

The Meteorological Department in Bengaluru on Monday issued a heavy rainfall and thunderstorm alert for parts of south and coastal Karnataka.  According to the IMD forecast, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places Kodagu, Hassan, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Chamarajanagar districts of South Interior Karnataka and all the three districts of Coastal Karnataka— Udupi, Dakshina and Uttara Kannada. Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning is likely to occur at isolated places over all the districts of Coastal Karnataka and South Interior Karnataka. The south interior region comprises Ballari, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru Urban, Chamaraja Nagar, Chikkaballapura, Chikkamagaluru, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Hassan, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Shivamogga and Tumakuru. Following three days of isolated rainfall, the two regions were expected to experience dry weather on Friday and Saturday, an IMD official said. However, north interior Karnataka, comprising 11 districts, has been forecast to receive scattered rainfall on Monday, to be followed by isolated downpours and dry weather on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. In Bengaluru, Monday and Tuesday have been forecast to be generally cloudy with a few spells of rain, accompanied by fog and mist in the morning. The city is expected to record a minimum temperature of 19.9 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 23.3 degrees Celsius on Monday, with an expected rainfall of 6.9 mm, a Met official said. On Sunday, no rainfall was recorded in coastal Karnataka while only 0.2 mm downpour was registered in Koppal district in north interior Karnataka. Except for Mysuru in south interior Karnataka, all other districts received rainfall on Sunday. Kolar recorded the highest rainfall at 9.6 mm. However, no station in the state received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours. Bengaluru registered 5.5 mm rainfall on Sunday.  (with IANS inputs)  

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To increase passenger capacity, Bengaluru metro adds more cars to its Green Line trains

Transport

While three-car trains carry 975 passengers at a time, the six-car trains carry 2,000 passengers.

TNM Staff

In what will be a boost to Bengaluru’s metro rail usage, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has converted two three-car trains to six-car trains on the Green Line (the Nagasandra-Yelachenahalli route) from Monday. With this, the number of six-car trains is now eight.  Out of the 18 trains plying the Nagasandra-Yelachenahalli route, the rest 10 are three-car. All 18 trains on the Purple line (Baiyappanahalli to Mysuru Road) are six-car trains.  Passengers plying the Green Line route have been complaining of crowding during peak hours as the capacity of the trains have only increased partially since the operations began, while all trains on the Purple Line have been converted to six-car trains.   Until June 2018, all Namma Metro trains plying in the city consisted of three coaches with a total capacity of 975 passengers at a given time. This caused a space crunch during peak hours. The six-car train, in comparison, can accommodate as many as 2,000 passengers. The six-car trains are expected to ease the rush hour journeys. The first compartment is reserved for women in all six-car trains. This additional capacity is also expected to increase the average daily ridership of the Bengaluru metro, which is now at around 4.54 lakh across the Purple and Green Lines.  While the Green Line between Nagasandra and Yelachenahalli spans 24.22 km, the Purple Line between Baiyyappanahalli and Mysore Road runs for 18.08 km. However, ridership has been consistently higher for the Purple Line than the Green Line. Recently, the metro had reached its highest ridership on the eve of Deepavali when more than 4.83 lakh people used the metro. Out of these, the Purple Line recorded 2.63 lakh passengers, while the Green Line saw 2.19 lakh passengers.  By March 2020, the metro rail authority is expecting to ready 50 six-car trains for the two lines together.

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4 killed in accident near Bengaluru as drunk two-wheeler rider tries to overtake truck

Accident

Police said that the truck driver had fled after the accident.

TNM Staff

A truck ran over four persons including a Bengaluru-based businessman and his wife, in an accident that involved two scooters on the Tumakuru-Doddaballapura Road on Sunday afternoon. Satish (54) and his wife (Shantamma), were on their way home in Someshwar Badavane on their Honda Activa on Sunday afternoon when a truck driver tried to avoid another scooter, that was trying to overtake him and rammed into the Activa, TOI reported. Manjunath S (35) and Narasimha Murthy M (32), both painters from Ajjanakatte village in Doddaballapura, were trying to overtake the truck when the accident took place at around 1.45 pm at Menasi village.   Bengaluru Rural SP, Sajeeth told TNM that Shanthamma and Satish had gone for a family function and were on their way back home, when the incident occurred. “The truck, and two scooters were travelling in the same direction and were coming from Dobbaspet. Satish and Shanthamma were riding on the Activa and Manjunath and Narasimhamurthy were on a Yamaha Fascino scooter. The two men on the Yamaha were drunk,” he said. SP Sajeeth said that Manjunath was riding the Yamaha scooter and tried to overtake the truck from the right side. The truck driver tried to make way for Manjunath’s scooter to pass. However, he did not notice the Activa at the tailend on the left and hit the scooter. The Honda Activa came under the wheels of the truck and the couple was crushed to death, SP Sajeeth added. Manjunath, who tried to overtake the truck also lost control of the two-wheeler and rammed into the truck. His vehicle also came under the truck’s wheels and the two men on the scooter too died on the spot, he added. “Manjunath and Narasimhamurthy had gone to a friend’s house in a nearby village. The two men had also hit a pedestrian near a petrol pump nearby. We contacted their friends who confirmed that the two men were drunk,” he added. “The truck driver had left the spot by the time we arrived. We are tracking him down and will make an arrest soon,” SP Sajeeth added.    

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‘BJP will win bye-polls in all 15 constituencies’: CM Yediyurappa

Politics

Speaking at a campaign in Shivajinagar, the CM also rubbished claims of a possible Congress-JD(S) alliance post the bye-polls.

PTI

Ahead of the bye-elections which will be held in Karnataka on December 5, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday asserted that the BJP’s candidates in all the 15 assembly constituencies going to polls would all be victorious. "People will give them the answer, once the results are out Congress and JD(S) will realise that people are with us (BJP)," Yediyurappa said. Speaking to reporters during campaign in poll bound Shivajinagar assembly segment here, he said, he was 100 per cent confident that BJP candidates would win all 15 constituencies going for by-elections. The senior BJP leader also rubbished claims of a possible post bye-poll alliance between Congress and JD(S) leaders in Karnataka. “Such talks don’t have any value. Those who are insane are saying such things and it doesn’t have value,” he said to a query about the possibility of a coalition between the BJP’s opponent parties. Sounding upbeat after forming a coalition government in neighboring Maharashtra, the Congress in Karnataka made it clear that it was not averse to joining hands with JD(S) once again, in case the ruling BJP fails to garner required number of seats to remain in majority, after December 5 bypolls. JD(S) leaders have already dropped enough hits about the party being open to such a possibility. Later in the day, speaking to media in Belagavi, Yediyurappa said, 100 per cent there would be political polarisation in the state after the bypolls as claimed by the Congress, as they would bite the dust and remain in opposition, while BJP would continue to govern the state for remaining 3.5 years. "Once the results are out on December 9 it will be clear, people will teach a lesson to Congress and JD(S) leaders. People have decided that Yediyurappa should be given an opportunity for remaining 3.5 years," he said, adding Congress and its leader Siddaramaiah were "day dreaming" about coming to power and becoming Chief Minister. The ruling BJP, led by Yediyurappa needs to win at least six seats in the bypolls to 15 constituencies to remain in a majority in the 224-member assembly, which would still have two vacant seats-- Maski and R R Nagar. Among 15 constituencies going to the bypolls, 12 were held by Congress and three by JD(S), whose coalition government collapsed due to rebellion by the disqualified MLAs. With winning majority of seats being crucial for the government's survival, BJP has fielded 13 of the 16 disqualified legislators who joined the party as its candidates from their respective constituencies.

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