CID launches probe into alleged rape and murder of engineering student

Mangaluru, Jan 29: Days after some youths allegedly threatened to 'behead' local MLA and former Karnataka minister U T Khader during a pro-CAA rally here, the Dakshina Kannada district unit of the Congress on Wednesday urged the police to register a case against the culprits.

A video of the incident that went viral on social media showed the youths raising slogans that they will "cut off his limbs and chop off his head if necessary" during the rally organised by the BJP in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act on Monday.

Addressing reporters here, District Congress Committee president Harish Kumar demanded that the police register a case on their own against the youths. He said if prompt action was not taken against the youths seen in the video, the Congress will launch an agitation before the office of the Commissioner of Police.

When asked by reporters about the video, Khader had on Tuesday brushed aside the threat, saying he had not taken it seriously. The MLA had also said he did not file a complaint with police as he had concern for the families of the youths.

Dubai, Jul 5: Three Indians, who were repatriated on a chartered flight from the UAE on Friday, have been held in the state of Rajasthan after officials seized gold worth Dh2.2million from them, the government announced on Saturday.

They are likely to be placed under arrest along with 11 others, who were repatriated from Saudi Arabia, from whom gold worth Dh5.5million was seized, a statement from the government tweeted by Press Information Bureau in Rajasthan said.

The gold bars were hidden in emergency lamps, photos attached to the tweets showed.

The 14 passengers had arrived at the Jaipur International Airport by two chartered flights.

They were intercepted by the Customs team at the airport and 31.9kg of gold valued at Rs156,759,820 (Dh7.7million) concealed in the baggage was recovered from these passengers.

Three passengers arrived from Ras Al Khaimah by Spice Jet Flight SG9055 and 12 gold bars/bricks weighing 9.3kg valued at Rs.45,761,100 (Dh2.2million) were recovered from them, the statement said.

The Indian Consulate in Dubai confirmed to Gulf News that the flight was chartered by a private company for repatriating its employees.

It is suspected that the passengers were used as carriers to smuggle gold.

The other 11 accused had arrived from Riyadh and 22.65kg of gold bars, predominantly with Suisse markings, valued at Rs110,998,720 (Dh5.5million) were recovered from them.

“The said recovered gold bars have been seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. The said passengers are being interrogated and are likely to be placed under arrest in terms of section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962,” the statement added.

Indian media had earlier reported similar cases in which stranded Indians were apparently lured to be carriers for smuggling gold on repatriation flights from various countries.

A spike in gold smuggling attempts using Indians getting repatriated after losing jobs was also reported from the Indian state of Kerala.

Mangaluru, Mar 8: A cruise ship with a Panama flag has been turned back at the New Mangalore Port here following the Centre's advisory in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

The vessel 'MSC Lirica' was sent back on Saturday as the Union Ministry of Shipping had directed all ports not to allow any cruise ship from foreign destinations to call on Indian ports.

No further details about the ship were disclosed.

New Mangaluru Port Trust chairman A V Ramana said the ministry has directed all ports to deny entry to cruise ships till March 31 in the wake of the coronavirus scare.

Around 25 vessels were expected to call on the port here during the cruise season.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted an awareness programme on prevention of coronavirus COVID-19 at Mangaluru International Airport.

The stakeholders were sensitised on handling passengers affected with covid-19 and precautions to be taken for dealing with affected passengers.