Coronavirus scare: Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, two other districts put on high alert

In the wake of Saudi Arabia's assurance that Masjid al-Haram of Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi of Madinah will be opened for believers after some days, a message has gone viral on social media claiming that both the holy mosques will open on Ramadan 8 (May 1).

The message which was widely circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp, also contained certain condition such as people should fetch their own prayer mats and that they should not use the washrooms in the mosques. 

Clarification

Meanwhile, the authorities of the two holy mosques, issued a clarification that the claims made in the viral post are false and baseless.

"The message being circulated about the opening date for Haramiain (two holy mosques) for public is completely baseless and false. The suspension of prayers for general public is still in effect," they said in a social media post.

Bengaluru, May 6: The second day of liquor sales in Karnataka on Tuesday after easing of lockdown curbs saw a nearly five-fold jump in earnings, with Rs 197 crore worth spirits being sold.

According to top Excise Department officials, 4.21 lakh cases of Indian-made liquor, comprising 36.37 lakh litres, worth Rs 182 crore and 7.02 lakh litres of beer in 0.90 lakh cases worth Rs 15 crore was sold on Tuesday.

On Monday, when sales resumed in the state, Rs 45 crore worth liquor was sold.

"We had never expected such a record sale. It's unprecedented," an Excise official who did not wish to be named said.

Liquor sales had resumed in Karnataka on Monday after a 41 day gap following the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bengaluru, May 5: The Karnataka excise department booked a case against a wine shop owner in this tech city for allegedly selling more liquor than permitted under the law to a buyer on the first day of shops reopening for business after 40-day lockdown on Monday, an official said on Tuesday.

"We have booked a case against licensed shop owner S. Venkatesh for reportedly selling Indian made liquor (IML) and beer to a buyer on Monday more than he is permitted under the Karnataka Excise Act section 36," Bengaluru South Excise Deputy Commissioner A. Giri told media persons.

The alleged sale came to light when the unidentified customer posted in the social media a receipt showing he bought liquor worth Rs 52,841 from Vanilla Spirit Zone in the city''s south-eastern suburb on Monday afternoon.

"Preliminary investigation revealed that 17.4 litres of IML was sold against the permissible limit of 2.3 litres and 35.1 litres of beer against the legal limit of 18.2 litres," Giri said.

Venkatesh, however, told Giri that the buyer paid for the liquor bought by him and seven of his colleagues at the same time from the shop as they entered together.

"We are investigating to ascertain if Venkatesh violated the license conditions by paying for liquor bought by his friends with him at the same time," Giri added.