Twitter trend calls for resignation of Karnataka Home Min over alleged assault of CRPF jawan

Controversy

While state police chief has called for an enquiry, Belgavi SP had earlier denied any wrongdoing by local police.

Soumya Chatterjee

Almost a week since the controversy surrounding the arrest and alleged assault of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan by police personnel in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, many have called for the resignation of state Home Minister Basavraj Bommai.  The Twitter trend #ResignHMBommai was started by supporters of the BJP even though the state government is ruled by the BJP itself led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Some of them also called for the suspension of Belagavi Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi. Among those who demanded the resignation of Basavaraj Bommai included columnist and Yuva Brigade founder Chakravarthy Sulibele who is a 'known admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi'. Reacting to a media report speculating that the state government will withdraw the case, Sulibel tweeted, “Sorry CM of Karnataka after this kind of brutal assault withdrawing the case is definitely not enough. Take resignation of HM or suspend SP, Belagavi. #ResignHMBommai or act now.” He also posted a photo of the hip of the CRPF personnel showing injury marks allegedly as a result of the police assault. Sorry @CMofKarnataka after this kind of brutal assault withdrawing the case is definitely not enough. Take resignation of HM or suspend SP, Belagavi.#ResignHMBommai or act now.. pic.twitter.com/NbmS5JFuDL — Chakravarty Sulibele (@astitvam) April 29, 2020 A cobra commando is beaten up by Belagavi police like this, is this the way to treat Soldiers? Karnataka HM must resign..!!#ResignHMBommai@publictvnews @republic @tv9kannada @powertvnews pic.twitter.com/M6roVcZBBO — Abhilash Somenahalli (@abhilashsg7) April 29, 2020 Background The constable attached with Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (Cobra) unit of the CRPF was arrested on April 23 for allegedly defying COVID-19 lockdown norms. He was released on bail on Tuesday. The incident of him being handcuffed and being tied to the grill of a window had been circulated widely prompting the chief of the CRPF to write to the Karnataka police. A clip where some police constables are purportedly seen hitting the jawan with sticks had also gone viral in the meantime. Following this, Praveen Sood, the head of the police department in Karnataka had ordered an inquiry into the incident to be carried out by IGP (inspector General of Police) Belagavi range. State police version Despite the controversy, speaking to reporters on Monday, SP Laxman Nimbargi denied any wrongdoing by the district police and said that only a partial clip was doing the rounds suggesting a wrong version of the events. He said the CRPF constable was attacked only after he had overpowered the two state police constables.  

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Karnataka to enhance its capacity, to test over 5,000 samples daily

Coronavirus

Primary and secondary contacts will be tested on a priority basis and testing will gradually be expanded to people in high-risk categories (those with flu and respiratory illness).

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational image/Pixcy

With the second phase of nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) nearing an end, Karnataka is looking to increase its daily testing count to over 5,000 samples per day.  Officials of the Karnataka Health Department suggested that they are looking at all means to increase the testing rate. Karnataka has already been testing more than five times the number of tests that it has been since last week. While on April 13, the state did 766 tests, 15 days later, on April 28, the state carried out a total of 4,827 tests, which has been the highest for a single day so far.  Cumulatively, by Wednesday, the state had crossed the mark of 50,000 (50,512) testing and is second highest only to Andhra Pradesh among the south Indian states. Andhra Pradesh has done 80,334 tests till date while Maharashtra, which has the highest number of cases in the country, did 1,29,931.  Speaking to TNM, Dr CN Manjunath, the nodal officer for testing for COVID-19 in Karnataka, said, “Since Tuesday, we have been inching towards 5,000 tests per day. Slowly, we will increase this further. Right now, there are enough RT-PCR (Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test kits to last for 10 days to carry on testing at the same rate. There is a crisis everywhere globally and within the country but there is no reason to worry as we have been procuring them at least five days in advance." Dr Manjunath said that for the testing purpose, the primary and secondary contacts are the priority, and the government has been gradually expanding testing to people in high-risk categories (people with flu and respiratory illness). “So the scope of testing is increasing already on this basis. We have also started doing random testing in the state, starting with Bengaluru in two containment zones. We want to do random testing of 50-100 people in each hotspot,” he added.   Dr Manjunath further stated that the state will use Tuberculosis (TB) testing machines for COVID-19 to ramp up the testing capacity. Similar methods have also been discussed in neighbouring Kerala and other states. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had approved the use of these diagnostic machines for coronavirus tests.  “We have started testing through this CBNAAT (cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification tests) method in Gadag district and with these machines, we can do around 30-40 tests per day. We will soon start this in Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts in three to four days,” he told TNM.  The CBNAAT testing is for screening purpose, while only RT-PCR is the only established diagnostic test. ‘Rapid antibody testing may resume’ The Karnataka government, like other state governments in the country, is doing away with rapid antibody testing following the ICMR directive. Read: ICMR tells states to stop using rapid antibody testing kits from 2 Chinese companies According to Dr Manjunath, even before the central government directive, Karnataka had decided not to carry on with the rapid antibody testing as they had very low accuracy during the validation exercise carried out by the department in NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences).  “For the time being, all rapid antibody-based testing is put on hold. We are hearing some rapid testing kits made by South Korean and Netherlands-based manufacturers are giving good results. So we have asked some 5,000 sample strips from these companies for the purpose of validation. Although no antibody test kits will give 100% accuracy, if we can have better results, maybe around 75% efficacy, then we can take a call later,” he told TNM. 

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Five Karnataka Ministers are primary contacts of video journalist who got COVID-19

Coronavirus

Three of these ministers also attended meetings with the CM on Wednesday.

Theja Ram

After the cameraperson of a private Kannada news channel tested positive for the novel coronavirus, five Karnataka Ministers, who were primary contacts of the journalist, have been asked to quarantined themselves, according to TOI. As per protocol, the ministers are not supposed to attend events, but they have all have flouted quarantine norms. The video journalist, otherwise known as Patient 475, met five ministers including two Deputy Chief Ministers — Govind Karjol and Dr CN Ashwath Narayan — as well as Minister for Housing V Somanna, Minister for Tourism, Kannada and Culture CT Ravi, Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.  Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai had also interacted with the media on April 26, two days after the cameraperson tested positive.  According to the Karnataka Health Department, the journalist traveled from his house to Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa's official residence, Krishna, on April 20. He again visited Krishna at around 12.15 pm on April 21 and took bytes of one of the Deputy Chief Ministers and also Tourism Minister CT Ravi. On April 21, the cameraperson shot a video byte with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, while he was in his car. At 3.30 pm on the same day, he traveled to Ramanagara along with his colleague and driver.  On April 22, at around 9 am, he shot an interview with Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar in RT Nagar. On the same day, at around 1.30 pm, he shot an interview with Housing Minister V Somanna. However, Health Department officials said that precautionary measures were taken when the interview took place with V Somanna.  "The journalists and the minister were wearing masks and gloves," the official said. At 2 pm, he shot a byte of one of the Deputy Chief Ministers. Soon after, he shot visuals of a programme organised by Member of Legislative Council YA Narayana Swamy. On April 23, he gave his swab sample at the CV Raman General Hospital in Indiranagar. He was tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 on April 24.  Fortunately, the cameraperson's wife and two-and-half-year-old son have tested negative. Sources with the CMO told TNM that he did not come directly into contact with Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. However, at a time when primary and secondary contacts of COVID-19 patients are being quarantined until their test results come out, these ministers have been advised home quarantine. BJP sources claim that Ministers CT Ravi, Basavaraj Bommai and Dr K Sudhakar tested negative, however this has not been officially confirmed by the government. Three of the ministers even attended a meeting with the Chief Minister on Wednesday. These ministers, BJP sources say, had also attended meetings with CM Yediyurappa between April 25 and April 29.  "The journalist came into contact with many other ministers. At this point all ministers have been given an option of getting tested if they want to," a member of Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar's team said.   (With inputs from Prajwal Bhat)

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Massive fire reported in HAL premises in Bengaluru, no casualties

Accident

The smoke billowing out of the premises was spotted from areas located more than five kilometres away as well.

Soumya Chatterjee

A massive fire was reported in one of Bengaluru’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facilities in the eastern part of the city, triggering panic among people living around the area on Wednesday. The smoke emanating from the facility was visible from far-off areas like Bellandur and Marathalli as well. Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire, which broke out at around 9 am on Wednesday. Officials at the Fire Control Room said that five fire engines were rushed at the spot and later more officials were sent. While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, the HAL confirmed that the fire had broken out in one of its sheds in the  Forge and Foundry division. In a statement, the Chief of Media Communications, Gopal Sutar, said, “A fire broke out today at around 9 a.m at the scrapyard of HAL's F&F Division at Old Airport Road, Bengaluru. The scrap included magnesium metal. The fire has now been contained by dry chemical fire extinguishers. There is no damage to any property and no casualty reported due to the fire. An investigation is on.”  Sources further said that the scrap also had aluminium and steel, and since water could not be used to douse the fire, the only way to manage the fire was to let the metal burn out in a controlled manner. The HAL officials on the spot had put some Ternary Eutectic Chloride (a chemical used for containing metal fire) and mud to ensure that the fire does not spread. Meanwhile, Jurisdictional Whitefield division police were also alerted. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anuchet said, “There has been an incident of chemical fire inside the premises of the HAL - Forge and Foundry division. Magnesium scrap stockpile had caught fire. The entire area has been cordoned off and fire has been isolated. No casualties are reported,” he said. 

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Pvt hospitals in Karnataka turn away SARI cases, strain govt and other facilities

Coronavirus

Individuals with severe acute respiratory infection are increasingly being monitored as some of them have been positive for COVID-19.

Dr Nimeshika Jayachandran

Prajwal Bhat

PTI : Image for representation

Since February 10, when a man with a history of travel to Wuhan in China walked into St. John’s Hospital in Bengaluru, a screening clinic has been in place to help contain the spread of coronavirus cases.  Officials in the hospital have been logging the details of every possible coronavirus patient and almost two months later, have found that there is an increase in the number of individuals admitted with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). “We are observing 6-12 SARI patients everyday who are in need of intensive care. This number has increased since the outbreak of coronavirus cases,” says Dr. Sanjiv Lewin, Chief of Medical Services, St John's Medical College. The hospital attached to St. John’s Medical College has observed 225 SARI cases since March 22, three days before the lockdown period in India was imposed.  Similarly, in Mysuru’s century old KR Hospital, 201 patients with SARI have been admitted since the lockdown over the coronavirus outbreak began at the end of March. “Everyday we admit 10 to 15 new (SARI) cases compared to 3 to 5 cases that were seen in a day prior to the lockdown,” says Dr Nanjundaswamy from KR Hospital in Mysuru, which is attached to the Mysore Medical College, a government-run college. Among the surge of SARI cases in these two hospitals, only six patients turned out to be positive for COVID-19 - 4 patients in Bengaluru’s St. John’s Hospital and 2 patients in Mysuru’s KR Hospital.  Reason for increase in SARI cases Officials in the two hospitals say that the surge in cases are linked to the refusal of private hospitals to take in SARI patients. “People are worried when they develop respiratory symptoms and think that it might be coronavirus. When they approach private hospitals, they are referred to us because private hospitals are refusing to admit SARI and related cases due to the coronavirus scare,” says Dr Nanjundaswamy. Officials in St. John’s Medical College echoed the reasons stated by doctors in Mysuru and linked the increase in SARI cases to the refusal of private hospitals to take in SARI cases. “The patients are reaching us with inadequate warning given by the hospitals which are referring them. The rise in SARI cases is not necessarily an indication that infections have increased but it is more indicative of the referrals from other hospitals,” says Dr. Sanjiv of St. John’s Medical College.  “The government-run hospitals have been turned into hospitals to fight COVID-19 cases so this has left people from low-income groups vulnerable and they are running from pillar to post desperately looking for hospitals to admit patients in,” Dr Sanjiv says. TNM spoke to doctors in Udupi and Ballari districts of Karnataka who also reported a similar issue of private hospitals turning away SARI patients.  Medical resources under strain  Another issue facing hospital administrators is that the rise in SARI cases has strained their available resources. “All SARI patients are kept isolated and cannot be kept in a ward with other patients. In the ward with SARI patients, there is a patient in every three beds,” says Dr. Nanjundaswamy of KR Hospital.  At St. John’s Medical College, COVID-19 suspects are treated in a separate block which has 60 beds available, including 15 ICU beds. Of these 15, 14 beds are currently occupied, an evidence of the burden of cases the hospital is grappling with.    This has also affected the hospitals’ capabilities to deal with non-COVID-19 patients including emergency cases like burns and accidents. “Our resources are concentrated on tackling SARI cases. There were 2-3 patients who required ventilator support last week. We currently have five ventilators and we are using them,” Dr. Nanjundaswamy says.  SARI and its importance in the ongoing pandemic Post the SARS epidemic of 2002, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had constituted a set of basic screening measures in the event that another similar pandemic occurred. SARI, or severe acute respiratory infection, was included on this list. Since then health experts around the world have stressed the importance of monitoring individuals who develop SARI, in light of the current outbreak of COVID-19.  SARI presents with breathlessness, hypoxia or low oxygen, fast breathing, which is typically preceded by fever and cough usually for a short duration of 7-10  days “There are a particular set of symptoms associated with SARI which can all be caused by a number of infections. The novel coronavirus can cause someone to develop cough, cold and fever, and severely impact the respiratory system,” explains Dr Asima Banu, nodal officer of the emergency department at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru. She explains that individuals who develop SARI may not necessarily be positive for COVID-19, however, those who have contracted the virus will exhibit the symptoms of SARI.  “This is why it is important to keep an eye out for SARI, because it can be caused by the coronavirus,” she adds.     

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Bengaluru wakes up to overnight rains, waterlogging reported in parts of city

Weather

According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the city received an average of 45 mm rainfall since midnight on Tuesday.

TNM Staff

Heavy rains coupled with winds lashed Bengaluru on Wednesday morning leading to water-logging in low-lying areas in parts of the city.  According to the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), the city received an average of 45 mm rainfall since midnight on Tuesday. 10 places in the city received more than 75 mm of rainfall with the highest rainfall recorded in Hegganahalli in the Dasarahalli zone which received 88.5 mm rainfall. Peenya Industrial Area and Shettihalli, also in the Dasarahalli zone received 83 and 82 mm rainfall respectively while Koramangala received 81. 5mm rainfall. Domlur received 79.5 mm rainfall in the city's east zone.  A road in Pattegarapalya near Vijayanagar in the city caved in due to heavy rains. Heavy water-logging was reported in Koramangala, Dasarahalli, Domlur, HSR Layout, BTM Layout and HAL areas of the city by personnel from the Civil Defence Quick Response Team which is checking the damage caused by the rains and clearing trees.  Heavy rains were also reported in Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Chamarajanagara and Mysuru districts in southern Karnataka. The highest rainfall reported was in Anekal which received 110 mm rainfall.  Early morning rain in Bengaluru has brought monsoon feeling. pic.twitter.com/PpcX49bznu — Gopinath (@KSGopinath6) April 29, 2020 Early morning rain in Bengaluru has brought misery to some citizens in the city. pic.twitter.com/EZH24lg3Eo — Harish Upadhya (@harishupadhya) April 29, 2020 #BangaloreRains wen Bengaluru rains it becomes alarm to wake up seee the beauty and capture That's the UB city hidden in rain and fog pic.twitter.com/TwcIZ9tqRk — Bhagya (@bhoomisoni17) April 29, 2020 "The rainfall in southern India is mainly due to two factors - a wind discontinuity trough over north Tamil Nadu and cyclonic circulation over the east central Arabian Sea which has caused severe thunderstorm activity," Sunil Gavaskar, a meteorologist with KSNDMC told TNM.  Officials in the disaster body said that light to moderate showers are expected in Bengaluru on Wednesday as well.  

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Twitter trend calls for resignation of Karnataka Home Min over alleged assault of CRPF jawan

Controversy

While state police chief has called for an enquiry, Belgavi SP had earlier denied any wrongdoing by local police.

Soumya Chatterjee

Almost a week since the controversy surrounding the arrest and alleged assault of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan by police personnel in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, many have called for the resignation of state Home Minister Basavraj Bommai.  The Twitter trend #ResignHMBommai was started by supporters of the BJP even though the state government is ruled by the BJP itself led by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa. Some of them also called for the suspension of Belagavi Superintendent of Police Laxman Nimbargi. Among those who demanded the resignation of Basavaraj Bommai included columnist and Yuva Brigade founder Chakravarthy Sulibele who is a 'known admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi'. Reacting to a media report speculating that the state government will withdraw the case, Sulibel tweeted, “Sorry CM of Karnataka after this kind of brutal assault withdrawing the case is definitely not enough. Take resignation of HM or suspend SP, Belagavi. #ResignHMBommai or act now.” He also posted a photo of the hip of the CRPF personnel showing injury marks allegedly as a result of the police assault. Sorry @CMofKarnataka after this kind of brutal assault withdrawing the case is definitely not enough. Take resignation of HM or suspend SP, Belagavi.#ResignHMBommai or act now.. pic.twitter.com/NbmS5JFuDL — Chakravarty Sulibele (@astitvam) April 29, 2020 Background The constable attached with Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (Cobra) unit of the CRPF was arrested on April 23 for allegedly defying COVID-19 lockdown norms. He was released on bail on Tuesday. The incident of him being handcuffed and being tied to the grill of a window had been circulated widely prompting the chief of the CRPF to write to the Karnataka police. A clip where some police constables are purportedly seen hitting the jawan with sticks had also gone viral in the meantime. Following this, Praveen Sood, the head of the police department in Karnataka had ordered an inquiry into the incident to be carried out by IGP (inspector General of Police) Belagavi range. State police version Despite the controversy, speaking to reporters on Monday, SP Laxman Nimbargi denied any wrongdoing by the district police and said that only a partial clip was doing the rounds suggesting a wrong version of the events. He said the CRPF constable was attacked only after he had overpowered the two state police constables.  

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