British-era bridge in Shivamogga partially collapses after cracks develop

Infrastructure

Commuters from Shivamogga, Davangere and Chitradurga travel via the bridge to reach the coastal Udupi district.

TNM Staff

A bridge partially collapsed at Ranjadakatte near Thirthahalli in Shivamogga on Thursday. Traffic was disrupted between Shivamogga and Udupi after cracks developed on Thursday, which then led to the partial collapse. By the time it collapsed, district officials cordoned off the bridge and stopped vehicular movement.  Heavy rainfall in the region led to cracks developing on the bridge. Commuters from Shivamogga, Davangere and Chitradurga travel via the bridge to reach the coastal Udupi district. It is one of the routes connecting Shivamogga and Udupi with other routes, including those via Masthikatte and Agumbe.  "This was one of the main routes linking Shivamogga and Udupi and it was frequented by a large number of commuters every day. The route is now closed and the public works department is carrying out repair work there," said Prakash, an official in the Shivamogga DC office, had told TNM earlier. The bridge built in the British era was closed down on Thursday. There is another new bridge being built alongside the old bridge.   In particular, the route is frequented by people travelling for medical emergencies from central Karnataka to hospitals like Kasturba Hospital Manipal for treatment.  A police official from the Thirthahalli police station told TNM earlier that cracks had been seen along and underneath the bridge. “It was damaged due to the heavy rains in Shivamogga over the past week," the official told TNM The development comes a week after floods were reported in neighboring Udupi district after it received a heavy spell of rainfall on Sunday morning. 

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Bengaluru reports 4192 new COVID-19 cases, most from Yelahanka and west zone

Coronavirus

Bengaluru also reported 3,854 recoveries on Thursday.

TNM Staff

Image for representation/PTI

Bengaluru reported its highest single-day spike yet on Thursday with 4,192 COVID-19 cases. The city also recorded 3,854 recoveries and 24 deaths. Earlier on September 18 too, the count had crossed 4,000, when Bengaluru had reported 4,180 coronavirus patients in a single day. On most of the last 10 days, the city has been reporting at least 3,000 cases daily, most of them from west zone (18%). The last 24-hour breakup of the COVID-19 cases is as follows: west zone and Yelahanka reported 16% cases each, south zone 14%, east zone 15%, Bomannahalli 13%, Mahadevapura and RR Nagara 11% each and Dasarahalli 4%. All zones except east and Mahadevapura reported a higher number of recoveries than COVID-19 cases on Thursday. Most of the 4192 patients are men from the 30-39 age group (almost 700), followed by men in 20-29 age group (around 600). An almost equal number of women (over 300) were found to be coronavirus positive in the 20 to 29 and 30 to 39 age groups. Recoveries were highest in the 30 to 39 age group, followed by the 20 to 29 age group. Till date, of the 2,08,467 coronavirus patients reported in the city till date, 1,30,170 were men, and 78,254 were women. The breakup for transgender persons is not provided. Bengaluru’s coronavirus cases are only second to Delhi in India, among major metropolitan cities. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), while not having updated its containment zone numbers for at least five days now, on Thursday appears to have simply reset the count, showing that there are only 16 containment zones in the city that are total as well as active. The recovery rate from coronavirus in Bengaluru is at 79.35%, while the active rate is at 19.32%. Death rate is at 1.33%, while the positivity rate is at 13.85%.   

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Southern Railway announces two daily specials from Chennai to TVM and Mangaluru

The trains will be introduced from Sunday, September 27.

PTI

The Southern Railway on Thursday announced two daily special trains to Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru from here, days after resumption of intra-state services in Tamil Nadu. Following the Railway Board's approval, it announced running one superfast special each to the two cities from September 27 and all COVID-19 safety guidelines, including wearing of masks shall be followed as mandated by the Union Home Ministry, it said. The fully reserved special trains will be introduced daily, from Chennai from Sunday while the return services from Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru will start from September 28, a Southern Railway release here said. Train No. 02623 Dr MGR Chennai Central- Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Special will leave here at 19.45 hrs to reach the Kerala capital at 11.45 hrs the next day. In the return direction, Train No 02624 will leave Thiruvananthapuram Central at 15.00 hrs and reach Dr MGR Chennai Central at 07.40 hrs the next day, it said. Similarly, the Mangaluru-bound Train No 02601 will leave Dr MGR Chennai Central at 20.10 hrs and reach its destination at 12.10 hrs the next day. In the return direction, Train No 02602 will leave Mangalore Central at 13.30 hrs to reach Dr MGR Chennai Central at 05.35 hrs the next day, the release added. "All passengers shall be compulsorily screened and only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to enter/board the train," it said. All passengers should wear face covers/masks at the entry and during travel and reach the station at least 90 minutes in advance to facilitate thermal screening at the station, it said adding no linen, blankets and curtains will be provided. Earlier, the Southern Railway had introduced special trains in Tamil Nadu connecting Chennai to various cities including Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai after the state government gave the green signal for resumption of inter-district train services from September 7.

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Sandalwood drug case: ED to question Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjana Galrani and 3 others

Crime

The ED is probing the alleged money laundering aspect of the case.

TNM Staff

The 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on Thursday granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) permission to question actors Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjana Galrani and three other accused in the Sandalwood drug case. The ED is probing money laundering allegedly perpetrated by the accused. The ED, had two weeks ago started probing the finances of the accused involved in the drug case.  Special prosecutor Prasanna Kumar filed a petition in court seeking permission for questioning. The court granted ED permission to interrogate Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjjana Galrani, party planner Viren Khanna, Sanjjana's friend and real estate businessman Rahul Tonse, and Ragini's associate BK Ravi Shankar.  Sources with the ED said that the accused had allegedly offered Rs 50 lakh to suspended ACP Mudhavi to allegedly pass on information regarding the probe and that Rs 12 lakh cash had already changed hands. The ED suspects that the accused have unaccounted assets and money, which they were allegedly funnelling into the drug trade.      Meanwhile, Bengaluru's Central Crime Branch, which is probing the alleged drug racket in Sandalwood, had summoned actor Diganth Manchale for questioning on Thursday. This is the second time the actor was questioned. On September 14, Diganth and his wife Aindrita Ray, who is also an actor, were questioned by the CCB. Their phones were seized and they were let off after questioning.  CCB sources said that they allegedly retrieved chats between Diganth and suspected drug peddlers from African countries. The actor allegedly deleted these chats before turning in his phone. However, the CCB was able to retrieve the deleted chats, sources said. The actor is said to have vehemently denied procuring drugs and maintained that he only attended the parties as he was a celebrity and that neither he nor Aindrita Ray consumed any drugs.  Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil said that the actor has been asked not to leave town and would be summoned for questioning again. Diganth has been instructed that he would have to inform the CCB if he is to go out of town for shoots. 

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Bengaluru woman who went missing from ambulance says she wanted to escape abusive husband

Domestic Violence

The woman was picked up by two men in PPE on September 4, who told her family that she had COVID-19.

TNM Staff

Representation photo

Three weeks after a Bengaluru woman "disappeared" mysteriously after getting into an ambulance, she gave a statement to the police that she fled Bengaluru by using the ambulance as a decoy in order to get away from her abusive husband.  Speaking to TNM, Bommanahalli Police Inspector Ravishankar said that the woman arrived in Bengaluru from New Delhi on Thursday and gave a statement that she had left on her own will, as an FIR had been registered in the matter. "She said that a friend of hers gave her the idea to hire two people and get a private ambulance. She said she was scared to live with her husband as he and her brother-in-law were physically abusive. She said that the abuse had been happening for over seven months," Inspector Ravishankar said.  The woman has said that she hired two men from Bihar, paid for renting the ambulance and also bought the PPE kits from her savings.  News that an ambulance sent by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had picked her up had caused panic when the woman initially disappeared on September 4.  When news of her mysterious disappearance hit the papers, the woman called the Inspector Ravishankar on September 8 and informed him that she had willingly left home with the help of her friend and that she had no intention of returning as her husband and brother-in-law allegedly abused her.  However, her brother-in-law had told the media that they were apprehensive of the police and had also begun searching for her in New Delhi, which was her last known location. Her brother too was apprehensive about the call to the police and had told TNM that he was waiting for her to get in touch with the family. The brother admitted that the voice on the call was the woman's, but was skeptical if she left on her own will. The police however have not filed any case on the husband. "Unless she filed a complaint alleging domestic violence, we can't register an FIR. She has not filed such a complaint yet," Ravishankar added. The sequence of events On the afternoon of September 4, the 28-year-old customer service executive left her residence after two men wearing PPE arrived at with an ambulance claiming to be from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. The two men informed the woman's husband and in-laws that she was being taken for COVID-19 test, and later to a quarantine centre.  The family was informed that she could not be quarantined at home as she was "in the second stage" and that she had to be admitted to the hospital. Her family members were informed that she was at Prashanth Hospital. When the family contacted the hospital, the doctors there informed them that no such patient had been admitted. The woman's brother-in-law Vikas Kumar then filed a missing persons complaint with the Bommanahalli Police soon after.  "There is no need to panic. The ambulance was not a BBMP or government one and paramedics handling COVID-19 patients have ID cards. The patient would have been called and informed too," Inspector Ravishankar had said then.

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Karnataka Congress to move ‘no-confidence’ motion against BJP govt in Assembly

Politics

Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri accepted the notice and said that he would fix a suitable date for voting on the motion.

PTI

Representation photo

Signalling another political bout, a notice by opposition Congress expressing no-confidence in the BS Yediyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka was admitted by Legislative Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri on Thursday. The Speaker after ascertaining that the notice submitted by the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah had the backing of the requisite 23 legislators as per rules, admitted it and said he will fix a suitable time for the no-confidence motion and discussion in the next couple of days. The ruling BJP termed the Congress' move as a "political gimmick" and said the opposition party lacks numbers. As the House met following a short break after paying obituary references to Union Minister of State Suresh Angadi, who passed away due to COVID-19 last evening, Siddaramaiah informed the Chair about the notice he along with party colleagues submitted this morning. "We have given a notice stating that this House and the people of the state have lost confidence in Yediyurappa- led government," Siddaramaiah said, as he claimed that the notice has the support of more than 23 legislators as per rules. Following that all the Congress legislators stood in their place in support of the notice of no-confidence. Speaker Kageri then said he was convinced that the notice has the support of over 23 MLAs and he will decide and fix the time for no-confidence motion and discussion either on Friday or Saturday. Siddaramaiah, while stating that he was not questioning the discretion of the Chair, requested the Speaker to allow the no-confidence motion on priority and take it up for discussion immediately. However, the Speaker proceeded to the next itinerary on the agenda-- tabling certain bills. Objecting to it,Siddaramaiah said, "when this government has lost our confidence, how can they continue with all these processes relating to legislations, they have no moral right and they should go out." Countering it, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said the government has not lost the confidence or majority just because the Congress is saying so. "They (Congress) don't have numbers or mandate.People (MLAs) from Congress have come to our side, don't know how many more people will come to our side. Reports say many are willing to come," he said, terming the act on moving the no-confidence motion as a "political gimmick." Siddaramaiah retorted that many from the ruling side may cast vote in favour of the no confidence motion, if put to vote. Ashoka responded by stating that he too was confident that legislators from Congress benches will vote in favour of the government. As senior BJP MLA and former Speaker K G Bopaiah pointed out that the no-confidence motion cannot be taken up immediately and can be taken within three days of giving the notice, Speaker Kageri said he will fix the time for discussion in the next two days. Earlier after the Congress legislature party meeting, Siddaramaiah claimed the government has failed on all fronts and the people of the state and the assembly has lost confidence in it as corruption was rampant, development stunted, and the financial condition of the state has deteriorated. Alleging that Yediyurappa and members of his family were involved in corruption, he said there was also corruption in procurement of medical equipment, laptops, transfers, allocating postings for officials, release of grants among others. He also claimed that the government was bringing in several anti-people legislations like amendments to APMC and land reforms act and also to certain labour laws among others. The administration was anti-people and involved in corruption,Siddaramaiah alleged. He said this government came to power one year and four months ago and they have pushed the state into debt, while development was zero. After Yediyirappa came to power over Rs 1,01,000 crore loan has been taken,he claimed. "So we have given notice for moving the no confidence motion...," he added. Alleging that this government was full of corruption and no government had such a bad reputation in such short duration, KPCC chief D K Shivakumar said they were not worried about the numbers as they want to raise issues. "There is a lot of infighting within the BJP, let us see what happens..," he said when asked whether internal differences within the BJP will help the Congress. In the 225-member assembly, the ruling BJP has 116 members, Congress 67, JD(S) 33, BSP and nominated 1, independents 2, and Speaker (he has a casting vote). Four seats-- Sira, Basavakalyan, RR Nagar and Maski are vacant. While, Sira and Basavakalyan recently fell vacant following the death of sitting MLAs, RR Nagar and Maski have been vacant for some time now due to pending election petitions in the Karnataka High Court.

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Bengaluru riots: NIA make first arrest after taking over probe

Crime

Raids conducted in more than 30 locations had led to seizure of multiple evidence, the NIA claimed in a statement.

TNM Staff

A day after taking over the investigations of the August 11 east Bengaluru riots, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key accused in the case on Thursday after carrying out raids in more than 30 locations. The accused has been identified as Sayed Sadiq Ali (44) who is thought to be the key conspirator of the riots. According to the NIA, Sadiq was working as a bank loan recovery agent in the city.  In a statement, the NIA said, “During searches, airgun, pellets, sharp weapons, iron rods, digital devices, DVRs and many SDPI and PFI related incriminating documents and material have been seized.” It was earlier reported that the NIA on Tuesday had taken over the probe of the riots concerning two of the multiple FIRs registered under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UAPA] by the DJ Halli and KG Halli police. The NIA in a press statement had said that a team, headed by an Inspector-General of Police (IGP) rank will be in charge of the probe. The investigation was taken over by the NIA after the union government was asked to respond in a litigation at the Karnataka High Court. A Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary in Bengaluru, Girish Bharadwaj had approached the Karnataka High Court, seeking the transfer of the riots case to the NIA. Following that, the state government had also written to the union government seeking its opinion on the matter.   As it may be recalled that the mob violence on August 11 had started outside DJ Halli police station and later spread to areas within the neighbouring KG Halli Police Station limits. Three persons were killed as police resorted to firing to contain the escalating violence. Another person, who was taken in custody, also died in the hospital due to a pre-existing health condition. The mob had gathered over a provocative and communally-charged social media post by Naveen, the nephew of local MLA Akhanda Srinivas Murthy. The MLA’s house was set on fire and the DJ Halli police station was partially gutted. Many vehicles were burnt, among other damage to property.  The police have since arrested over 300 persons, including political functionaries of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) and aides of Congress corporators. The accused also includes persons who were previously accused of terror cases.

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