I told Modi Cong will retain power: CM

Mangaluru, Jun 19: A repatriation flight from Doha brought 178 passengers to Mangaluru today. This is the first flight operated from Qatar to Mangaluru under the Vande Bharat Mission. 

The Air India Express flight, which took off from Hamad International Airport in Doha at 12 noon (Qatar time) landed at Mangaluru International Airport around 6.30 pm IST.

Indian embassy had prepared the list of passengers to be flown in the flight. Stranded people who were in need of emergency repatriation such as pregnant women, senior citizens and those in need of emergency medical treatment were given priority while finalising the list of passengers. 

Kannadiga organisations in Qatar such as Karnataka Sangha, Tulu Kuta Qatar, Karnataka Muslim Welfare Association, Mangalore Cricket Club, Bunts Qatar, Mangalore Cultural Association, South Canara Muslim Welfare Association, Qatar Billawas had been striving for the repatriation of stranded Kannadigas by exerting pressure on the elected representatives to operate flights. 

Kannadigas in Qatar have thanked former Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Jayaprakash Hegde for persuading the authorities concerned to facilitate the repatriation. 

Bengaluru, Apr 27: A 57-year-old man died of COVID-19 in Kalaburagi on Monday taking the fatalities due to the virus in Karnataka to 20.

"One more person died due to COVID-19 in the state. The 57-year-old person was tested positive for coronavirus on April 21," Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar tweeted on Monday evening.

The minister said he was admitted to the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences with respiratory problem.

He was also suffering from severe liver related ailments.

"With this five deaths have taken place in Kalaburagi district due to the virus," the minister added in his tweet.

The first COVID-19 death in the country was reported from Kalaburagi in March.

Bengaluru, Jun 27: Marijuana or ganja as it is known locally, has emerged as the most peddled and seized drug in Karnataka in the first six months of 2020, a police officer has said, commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

"As many as 510 ganja cases have been registered, leading to the seizure of 312 kg of ganja in 2020," Central Crime Branch (CCB) Deputy Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Jain told media perrsons on Friday.

Cases and seizures of other drugs paled in comparison to Marijuana. Only one case each has been registered on Brown Sugar, Opium and other drug forms.

Hashish was the only other seized narcotic which weighed more than a kg at 17 kg, rest all were under a kg.

Other banned substances included charas, cocaine and MDMA.

Police also seized 91 papers of LSD and 550 tablets belonging to the Yaba, Restyl, Anxit and Nitrosun category of drugs.

Similarly, 781 Indians and 14 foreigners have been arrested in the drugs cases.

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Director General of Police Praveen Sood and Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao were among the officials who commemorated the event which recognised police staff who cracked drug cases.

"Bommai reaffirmed the pledge to fight against drugs and continue the policy of zero tolerance (of drug abuse)," Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil said.

Police showcased the seized haul of drugs to Bommai in the past one year, and the minister later rewarded the policemen involved in cracking the drugs cases in Karnataka.

Bommai and the police officials took a pledge to fight drugs on the occasion.

"The Karnataka police has been taking strict action against the drug peddlers while at the same time creating awareness among youth," added JCP Sandeep Patil.

Police also roped in celebrities such as Milana Nagaraj, Darling Krishna and former cricketer Anil Kumble to send across a social message to give up drugs.