After death of calf in mishap, cow vigilantes kill Muslim youth in Gujarat

Bengaluru, Jun 28: Criminal cases will be lodged against people for not adhering to the COVID-19 protocol in the city, said a top police official on Sunday.

"Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and BBMP (officials) are on the streets to enforce wearing of mask and social distancing. Warnings now, criminal cases will follow," said Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao.

He exhorted people to insist on everybody wearing a mask and maintaining social distance.

"Urge every Bengalurean to enforce mask enforcement and social distancing. If people argue, call 100. We are ready to respond to your calls," said Rao.

Assuring the city residents, he said one should not worry about others being high and mighty while making sure everybody follows the Covid precautions.

"Don't bother about high and mighty factor, whosoever it is, just tell people around you to wear mask and not hanging around neck," said the Commissioner.

On Saturday, DCP Rohini Katoch Sepat conducted a special drive to ensure everybody is following the Covid rules.

"Conducted a special drive along with BBMP marshals, imposed fine for not wearing mask and social distancing," said Sepat.

The senior police officer had also sealed down some shops for not conforming to the social distancing directions.

Sepat personally made announcements through a megaphone, spoke to shopkeepers, pedestrians and walked the streets in enforcing the rules.

Similarly, Rao also warned commercial establishments of raids and legal action in the event of Covid rules violation.

"Shops, malls, banks, hotels, offices and establishments. All of you are already aware of precautions to be taken. If you do not implement mask wearing and ensure safe distance, city police will raid and initiate legal action," asserted Rao.

On Friday, Bengaluru North DCP Shashi Kumar closed down some shops which did not follow Covid rules and rewarded some shopkeepers who adhered to them with roses.

Bengaluru, Feb 27: Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Wednesday said the Union Government will take up the issue of establishing a US consulate in Bengaluru during bilateral talks with the US officials in the future.

Speaking at a seminar on Videsh Sampark here, Mr Muraleedharan said after Delhi and Mumbai, a large number of visa applications come from Bengaluru. “We will take up the issue of establishing a US consulate in Bengaluru during bilateral talks,” he said.

Earlier, the chief secretary of Karnataka TM Vijay Bhaskar urged the centre to consider the state government’s demand of setting up a US Consulate in Bengaluru. At the moment visa applicants have to travel to Chennai for the purpose.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 9: Malls, restaurants and places of worship opened in Kerala on Tuesday morning after over two-and half months of Coronavirus induced lockdown. There were very few visitors in the malls and restaurants in the early hours and people preferred takeaways in eateries.

Various temples, including the famous Lord Krishna temple at Guruvayoor, a few churches and mosques opened in the state for the devotees. The Guruvayur shrine opened at 9.30 am and around 150 people, who had booked through virtual queue system, offered prayers.

Devotees wearing masks were seen standing adhering to the social distance norm. A faithful at the guruvayur temple said he had booked for darshan on Sunday and was happy to be offering worship after a long gap. "This is a realisation of a dream", he said.

In the state capital while the famed Lord Padmanabha swamy, Pazhavanangadi Ganapathy and Attukal Bhagavathy temples remained shut, the SreekanteshwaraShiva shrine and Lord Hanuman temple near the state assembly were among those which opened for darshan. The names, age and other details of the worshippers are also being collected by the temple authorities before letting people in. Another devotee said it was very painful not to go to the temple and expressed happiness over reopening of the shrines.

The virtual queue booking for devotees to offer worship at the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala would commence from Wednesday. Devotees from other states have to produce a Covid-19 negative certificate while booking,sources in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), administers the temple, said.

The Ayyappa shrine would open from June 14 to 28 for the five day monthly pooja and temple festival and only 10 people would be allowed inside the shrine at a time, sources said.

Most of the over 1,200 temples under the TDB, have opened while those under the Nair Service Society (NSS), an organisation of the Nair community and few other shrines were shut. The state government, which had come under attack from the BJP and Hindu Aikya vedi for opening the temples in a "hasty manner" has maintained that the decision was taken in line with the Centre's Unlock-1 guidelines and said those opposing the move had earlier wanted devotees to be allowed into the shrines.

As per the centre's Standard Operating Procedures, social distancing should be followed in all the places of worship and devotees should wear face mask are among other precautions in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those above 65 and children below 10 years would not be allowed in places of worship, distribution of food, refreshments and offertory blessings (prasadams), sandalwood paste or ashes should be avoided. Thermal scanners to check body temperatures, sanitiisers, arrangements for washing hands, were all provided in the temples and other places of worship which opened this morning, In churches in the state capital, Kochi and Kozhikode, allowedthe faithful inside after disinfecting the place.

The orthodox church synod is being held on Tuesday which will take a decision on whether or not to open their places of worship. Few mosques were also open in some places.