Bengaluru: 28-year-old gym trainer hugs woman on road, held

Bengaluru, May 3: Karnataka Education Minister S Suresh Kumar on Saturday said that those who want to travel from other states to Karnataka and vice-versa must register on 'Sevasindhu' website.

"Those who want to travel from other states to Karnataka and from Karnataka to other states must register on 'Sevasindhu' website, then all intimation will be shared from the government side," Kumar said.

Karnataka Health Department on Saturday said that three deaths and 12 new COVID-19 cases were reported in last 24 hours in the state.

According to the Health Department, the total number of coronavirus positive cases in the state is now 601. 271 patients have either been cured or discharged. The virus has killed 25 people so far in the state.

A 53-year-old Indian worker in the UAE has missed a special repatriation flight after he dozed off at the Dubai International Airport, a media report said.

P Shajahan, who worked as a storekeeper in Abu Dhabi, was supposed to fly to Thiruvananthapuram on the Emirates jumbo jet chartered by the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) Dubai, Gulf News reported.

It was the first-ever jumbo jet chartered for repatriation.

Shajahan, who had paid 1,100 dirham (USD 300) for the ticket, said that he did not sleep on the previous night as he kept on waiting for the confirmation of his ticket for the jumbo jet flying 427 stranded Indians to Kerala, it said.

He reached the airport early in the morning and after finishing the check-in procedures and rapid test, he reached the waiting area of the boarding gate at Terminal 3 around 2 PM local time, the report said.

“I sat away from most of the others. But I fell asleep after 4.30 PM,” he said.

S Nizamudeen Kollam, who coordinated the charter flight, said that the airline officials could not trace Shajahan when the flight was to take off.

“He woke up and called us after the flight left. It is sad that he missed the flight, which was the first-ever jumbo jet chartered for repatriation. We are now trying to send him on another Emirates flight that we are chartering on Saturday,” Kollam said.

Since Shajahan did not have any money, Jasimkhan Kallambalam, organising secretary of KMCC Thiruvananthapuram, went to the airport to meet him on Friday.

“Since his visa was cancelled, he could not come out of the airport. He had only eaten the snacks in the kit KMCC had given. We managed to give him some cash for buying food through KMCC volunteer Alamsha Latheef,” Kallambalam said.

In March, another Indian expat had fallen asleep in the same terminal and missed the last flight home before flights were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was stranded here for over 50 days before getting repatriated.

Bengaluru, Jun 7: Suspense over JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda contesting the Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka with Congress' support continues as KPCC president D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the party has fielded one candidate and the high command will decide on what do with surplus votes.

Mr Shivakumar also said his official takeover as party state unit president is likely to take place on June 14.

"Whatever our national leadership will decide... For now we are fielding only one candidate, regarding surplus votes whatever our high command says, we will abide by it," he said in response to a question about supporting Deve Gowda.

Polls for four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka is scheduled for June 19.

The Congress, which can win one seat with its strength in the assembly, has fielded veteran party leader Mallikarjun Kharge as the candidate, while the BJP is yet to decide on candidates for two seats it can win.

The JD(S), which has 34 seats in the assembly, is not in a position to win a seat in Rajya Sabha on its own, and will need support from one of the national parties with their surplus votes for this.

Minimum 44 votes are required for candidates to win.

Speculation is rife that congress is likely to support JD(S) with its surplus votes if the regional party fields Mr Gowda, and in return may seek favour during legislative council polls slated later this month.

Though JD(S) legislators are of the unanimous opinion that Mr Gowda should contest Rajya Sabha polls, the 87-year-old leader is said to be undecided and weighing options.

If he contests and wins, this will be the second Rajya Sabha entry for him, the first time being in 1996 as Prime Minister.

June 9 is the last date for filing nominations.

Stating that on June 8, Mallikarjun Kharge will file his nomination for Rajya Sabha polls, DK Shivakumar requested party workers not to come to Congress office or Vidhana Soudha, where the nomination will be filed, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Let your love and affection continue, but let's not create problems by gathering here. After the election is over, and once he (Kharge) wins, you can greet and congratulate him. Let's not bring a bad name to his seniority for not maintaining social distancing by gathering," he said.