Arrested Kannada journalist found hanging in jail temple; family suspects murder

Agencies
October 17, 2019

Bengaluru, Oct 17: A Kannada journalist who was in judicial custody in Central Jail, Parappana Agrahara for allegedly raping a woman on the pretext of marrying her was found hanging from the ceiling of the temple inside the prison.

Anil Raj, 55, a resident of Yelahanka and an undertrial, committed suicide around 7.30pm, police said. Raj was editor and publisher of Kannada tabloid 'Yelahanka Voice'. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

 "The temple is located in the middle of the barracks filled with undertrials. Other prisoners had seen Raj sitting in the verandah of the temple around 5pm. Raj used a small rope he had taken from the stores to hang himself. The inmates saw him hanging around 7.45pm and alerted prison officials. Raj was dead by the time he was brought down," prison officials said.

However, family members have alleged of foul play claiming that they have met him hours before the incident and the victim was not in a state to commit suicide.Family members demanded investigation in the incident alleging it to be a case of murder.

 In June 2017, Raj was sentenced to one-year imprisonment for breach of privilege by then Karnataka legislative assembly.

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News Network
April 2,2020

The Ayodhya police booked a senior journalist on Wednesday for raising questions on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to the Ram Janmabhoomi for a religious ceremony amid the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The FIR mentions a tweet by Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of news portal 'The Wire', where he said: "On the day the Tablighi Jamaat event was held, Adityanath insisted a large Ram Navami fair planned for Ayodhya from March 25 to April 2 would proceed as usual and that 'Lord Ram would protect devotees from the coronavirus."

Varadarajan had clarified in another tweet that it was "Acharya Paramhans, Hindutva stalwart and head of the official Ayodhya temple trust, who said Ram would protect devotees from coronavirus, and not Adityanath, though he allowed a public event on 25/3 in defiance of the lockdown and took part himself".

Taking the suo-motu cognizance, Faizabad Kotwali police station incharge Nitish Kumar Shrivastava registered an FIR under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 505(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code for doing "disreputable" comment against the chief minister.

Statement by the Founding Editors of The Wire: pic.twitter.com/frw5oRxw18

— The Wire (@thewire_in) April 1, 2020
Reacting to it, Varadarajan termed the FIR "politically motivated, saying that the offences invoked were not even remotely made out.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 17,2020

Bengaluru, May 17: At least 54 new COVID-19 positive cases have emerged since last evening, raising Karnataka's tally to 1,146, a health official said today.

Among the 1,146 cases, 611 are active and isolated in designated hospitals across the state, 497 patients got discharged and 37 died of the virus.

Of the new cases, Mandya district alone reported 22 cases, followed by 10 in Kalaburgi, 6 in Hassan, 4 in Dharward, 3 each in Kolar and Yadgir, 2 each in Dakshina Kannada and Shivamogga and 1 each in Udupi and Shivamogga.

New Cases Reported: 54
Total Active Cases: 611
Total Discharges: 497
Total Covid Deaths: 37
Death of Covid +ve patient due to Non-Covid cause: 1
Total Positive Cases: 1146

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News Network
May 27,2020

Kasaragod, May 27: In a tragic incident, two persons, who were brothers, died of asphyxiation while trying to rescue a calf that fell in their well at Bandhiyod near here on Wednesday.

Police sources said the elder brother Narayanan (50) entered into the well first to save the calf that fell in the well early in the morning.

His brother Sankaran (40) also followed suit after he noticed his brother fainting deep down the well. However, he also fainted inside the well.

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