JD(S)-BJP likely to forge alliance for zilla, taluk panchayats

Belagavi, Mar 11: Five people drowned while taking bath at various places after celebrating the festival of colour, Holi, in the district, police said on Wednesday.

The deceased were identified as Bhahubali G Mallashetty (29) native of Halaga Village in Belagavi Taluk, Prakash L Pattanashetty (23) native of karikatti village, Shashikant Anand Kolkar (22) native of Marakumbi village in Savadhatti Taluk, Vinayak Kumbar (25) from Khanapaur Taluk and Sagar Yamaji (23) from Raibag Taluk.

Bengaluru, Feb 5: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that he has demanded a report on the Shaheen School incident after reports emerged that children were allegedly interrogated by the police for hours at a stretch, while not allowing parents to be present.

Terming the incident a very sensitive matter as it involves children, Basavaraj Bommai said, "I have asked for a report on the Shaheen School incident. As it is a very sensitive and serious issue, I have asked the police to handle it carefully."

"I have asked the police to take the help of the women and child protection committee at the district level. However, I have been told that the police had visited the area where the play was done and no interrogation of children in isolation took place. Nevertheless, I have asked the police to handle the issue with care and do everything within the law," Basavaraj added.

The matter pertains to a programme organised as a part of the Republic day celebrations where the children in Shaheen School in Bidar had staged a play against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had protested alleging that the play at Shaheen School in Bidar was derogatory. In the play, the participants were shown staging an anti-CAA sequence where there were dialogues encouraging non-cooperation with anyone asking for documents. A case was registered against the school management.

Meanwhile, CEO of Shaheen Education Institute, Bidar, Tauseef Madikeri had said, "Police have invoked Sections 124A, 505 and 504 of the IPC against the institution, over a play staged against CAA and NRC. It is beyond anyone's imagination. Deputy SP visited the classroom and interrogated the students."

Karnataka police had sealed the offices of the school after its students participated in the play. Meanwhile, the police had questioned students of Shaheen School after a play against the CAA and NRC was staged during the Republic Day celebrations.

The child rights groups, teachers and educationists had issued a statement condemning the police interrogation in the incident.

Wayanad, April 7: The Kerala government has allowed people from border villages of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to use medical facilities at Wayanad.

"We have opened our borders to people from neighbouring states who require medical facilities in Kerala. Twenty-nine people from Bairakuppa in Karnataka have used medical facilities in Wayanad and 44 from Tamil Nadu," Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday.

Bairakuppa, a small village in Karnataka, is separated by the river Kabini from Wayanad district and the residents there depend on the healthcare facilities available in Wayanad.

Speaking to news agency, Adeela Abdulla, District Collector of Wayanad, said that instructions have been issued to allow people from neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, who need medical facilities, to cross the border.

"Right from the start of the lockdown, we have not restricted individuals from Bairakuppa region in Mysore district to use the medical facilities in Wayanad as people in that region depend on medical facilities in Wayanad," she said.