CID arrests two PhD students in II PU paper leak case

Bengaluru, Jun 19: The Karnataka government has been advised by its Educational Advisor to cancel holidays observed in educational institutions on the occasion of various Jayantis (birth annivesaries).

Advisor to Karnataka government on Education, Professor MR Doreswamy, has recommended cancellation of holidays on Jayanti and celebrate the day with more meaningful programmes remembering the great personalities.

The state government has declared public holidays on Valmiki Jayanti, Basava Jayanti, Kanaka Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Ambedkar Jayanti and Gandhi Jayanti.

On Thursday, Doreswamy submitted a report containing seven key suggestions including cancelling holidays, to Deputy Chief Minister CN Aswath Narayan, who holds higher education portfolio.

Doreswamy in his report suggested to hold thematic workshops, lectures, conferences and other such activities to celebrate the life and works of the great personalities, instead of declaring holidays.

"It would not only educate our youth about the significance of the great personalities to our culture and society and also reinvents the tradition of paying tributes to their contributions to our civil society,'' he said.

Dr Narayan said that the decision on cancelling holidays on Jayanti's has to be taken by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

Moreover, to bring education back on track during the present COVID-19 pandemic situation, Doreswamy made a few suggestions to complete exams of final semester engineering and graduate students. He also said that it was a challenge for the education sector to overcome the pandemic crisis and structure the next academic year 2021-22.

He also advised implementation of a mentoring system in all higher education institutions in Karnataka and empowering specially-abled students.

Mangaluru, Jan 15: A 28-year-old man, who is a first-year MBBS dropout, was arrested by the police after he posed as a doctor and treated patients at a private hospital at Derlakatte on the outskirts of the city.

The arrested has been identified as Mohammed Habib Hussain, a native of Shivamogga, who was residing in Attavar, Mangaluru. He had discontinued studies after the first year due to personal reasons.

The incident took place on Sunday night  at Yenepoya Medical College, Derlakatte. Dr Sampathila Padmanabha, medical superintendent, Yenepoya Medical College, said the accused had come to the medical college at midnight on December 29.

After speaking to the security guard at the hospital entrance, he introduced himself as an assistant to the consulting urologist, and wanted to visit patients at the private ward situated at floor number 7.

After entering, he called the duty nurse to get case sheets. Later, he examined two women patients in the presence of the duty nurse, and also wrote a prescription on the patient case sheet. He also yelled at a nurse, saying that she isn’t doing her duty properly, and left the place.

However, the nurse who grew suspicious, informed the management, after the accused had left the place. The management, who crosschecked about the accused, found out that he is not a doctor, and that he is also not associated with the hospital.

The management sent an advisory to all employees to produce their identity cards, whenever they enter any wards, especially at night, and also to keep an eye on anyone suspicious. The same message was passed on to other hospitals in the vicinity.

The accused again showed up at the hospital on Sunday night. As security guards were told about strangers visiting the hospital in the guise of doctors, he was allowed to enter the hospital premises, so that he can be apprehended. He later went to the reception counter and queried about the consultant urologist. When he noticed that the staff had an idea about what was happening, he tried to flee from the spot. He was later caught by a security guard, and the police were informed. He was arrested by Ullal police station personnel.

Dr Padmanabha added that he used to roam around with his friend in a car. He was also involved in a similar incident at a private hospital in Kankanady, and the same has been informed to the police. He visited hospitals in a car, which has been seized by police.

Mangaluru, Jun 6: As buses in Karnataka are operating following precautionary measures issued by the government to combat COVID-19, a few bus conductors were seen working wearing protective gears resembling personal protective equipment (PPE) on Saturday.

The Karnataka government had allowed resumption of bus services in the state during the fourth phase of COVID-19 lockdown, which ended on May 31.

The private buses were also equipped with hand sanitiser for the passengers. All the passengers were seen wearing face masks and maintaining distance from each other.

One of the bus conductors, en route State bank to Shaktinagar in Mangaluru was, was seen fully covered with protective suit.  

Sudarshan, a private bus conductor, also covered his face with a face shield. "PPE kit is for our protection and it is a must to keep ourselves and our passengers safe from COVID-19. All necessary equipment, including sanitisers and masks to fight COVID-19 have been provided by our bus owner to us," Sudarshan said.