Gauri Lankesh murder sparks protests across India

Mangaluru, Jan 9: A forest guard was arrested caught red-hand by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials while accepting Rs 3,000 bribe from a person for granting permission to cut Mahogany trees for his personal use, a statement said on Thursday.

According to the statement, the arrested identified as N Sudheer sought bribe of Rs 15,000 from Gopalakrishna Herale, a resident of Beltangady.

Mr Herale, in a complaint, lodged on January 7 said that he had sought a permit from the forest department for cutting of Mahogany trees purchased by him.

Mangaluru, Jun 25: Teacher-turned-serial rapist-cum-killer Cyanide Mohan Kumar was sentenced to life imprisonment in the 20th and final case by Sixth Additional District and Sessions Judge Sayeedunnisa on Wednesday.

Cyanide Mohan Kumar (57) was declared guilty in the 20th rape and murder case on Saturday and the judge had pronounced the order before a small group of advocates in the court hall. Cyanide Mohan who appeared in the court hall via video conferencing facility from Hindalga central jail in Belagavi did not show any emotions.

The 25-year-old victim from Kasaragod was working as a cook in a hostel and met Mohan, serving as a teacher in 2009. He had met her at her home on many occasions and had promised to marry her.

On July 8, 2009, she left home on the pretext of visiting a temple in Sullia and

did not return. When her family tried to reach her on phone, Cyanide Mohan had told they were married and would return home soon.

Mohan took her to a toilet in a bus stand in Bengaluru on July 15, 2009, and had left with her jewels after ascertaining that she had died by consuming Cyanide. No sooner Mohan was arrested in October 2009, the family of the victim had recognised him from the newspapers. The police also recovered the victim’s jewellery from the house of Mohan’s second wife.

Sixth Additional District and Session Court convicted Mohan under sections of IPC 302 for murder with life sentence and Rs 25,000 fine, IPC 366 for kidnapping with ten years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5000 fine, IPC 376 for rape with seven years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5000 fine, IPC 328 for poisoning with ten years of imprisonment, IPC 394 for causing hurt while robbing with 10 years of imprisonment and Rs 5000 fine, IPC 392 for theft with five years of imprisonment, IPC 201 for destroying evidence with seven years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs 5000 fine, IPC 417 cheating and one year of imprisonment.

Bantwal, Jun 16: Two unmarred siblings committed suicide by self-immolation at Sangabettu in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada last night.

Neelayya Shettogar (42) and his sister Kesari (39) poured petrol on themselves before torching themselves at around 11 p.m. on June 15 inside a room of their house, police sources said. The siblings were reportedly facing health problems.

Neelayya's brother and latter’s wife were sleeping in the other room of the same house when the incident took place. They came to know only when they heard the screams of the duo.

Even though the siblings were rushed to the government hospital at Bantwal with the help of locals, the doctors declared them dead.

Bantwal rural police sub-inspector, Prasanna and staff visited the spot as part of investigation.