DKMA hands over Rs 2 lakh to Ullal attack victim's kin

Udupi, Jan 16: The mandatory implementation of FASTag, across the country, was not enforced in the toll gates located in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.

The toll gate personnel cited that they had not received any directions from the NHAI and hence vehicles were being allowed to ply as per the current practice.

As per government order, two gates each have to be reserved for locals, emergency entry and cash transactions. All other lanes are to be used for FASTag.

Bengaluru, Apr 26: A 24-year-old man has been arrested in Vijayapura district in Karnataka for posting the photograph of a COVID-19 girl patient as his whatsapp status photo with a derogatory message, police said.

Anil Rathod on Saturday posted the picture of the girl student as status message with a caption, "Bad News Student got Positive"

By putting her photograph as his whatsapp status message, he tried to create fear among the masses and intentionally defamed her by making her photo go viral, the the police said in a statement.

It is an offence to reveal the identity of the COVID-19 patients by taking the photograph and putting it in the public domain, the police said.

Rathod has been booked under for spreading rumours and causing panic, they said.

Bengaluru, May 21: With temples yet to open for devotees as coronavirus restrictions are in place, the Karnataka government is preparing for live streaming of sevas (service) and poojas offered to deities at temples that comes under the state's Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Department.

The government has also decided to develop an app and web-based software with an intention to provide information to devotees regarding temples, also to facilitate online donations and advance booking for various sevas offered there.

Regarding online live streaming, Commissioner of the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Department has written to the Deputy Commissioners of all the districts and Executive Officers seeking a list of temples that comes under their jurisdiction where such facility can be provided.

"It has been intended to do online live streaming of sevas and pooja rituals at temples that come under the department in the backdrop of COVID-19 crisis. In this regard it is requested to provide a list of temples where online live facility can be provided to devotees, by abiding the traditions and practices of the temple," the letter said.

Though the temples are holding daily poojas and rituals, they are not open to public for now, with COVID-19 induced lockdown restrictions in place.

Officials had recently had stated that the department was planning to have a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place, that needs to be followed at temples in a post lockdown scenario, once they are opened for the public.

There are over 34,000 temples in the state that come under the department.

Meanwhile, in another letter to DCs of 15 districts, also Executive officers and administrators of 'A' grade temples, aimed at development of app and web-based software, the Commissioner has sought information regarding sevas offered at temples in their jurisdictions and those sevas for which option can be provided for devotees to do advance booking.