Man held for throwing stones on bus for ‘time-pass’

Bengaluru, May 18: Indian food delivery startup Swiggy said on Monday it would lay off 1,100 employees, or nearly 14% of its workforce, to cut costs, as a weeks-long nationwide lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak hits demand for online food ordering.

The company, backed by South African internet giant Naspers, also said it will scale down adjacent businesses and has already shut several of its cloud kitchens - facilities that only cater to takeaway orders - temporarily or permanently.

“The core food delivery business has been severely impacted and will stay impacted over the short term, but is expected to start growing again after that,” said Sriharsha Majety, co-founder and chief executive at Bengaluru-based Swiggy.

Swiggy, one of India’s best known startups, is among many that are laying off employees and reshaping their business in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced 1.3 billion Indians indoors and crippled business.

India is currently under a two-month lockdown, and though several curbs are being eased, public places such as restaurants remain closed, hurting restaurants themselves as well as companies such as Swiggy and main rival Zomato.

Mangaluru, May 10: A delegation of Muslm community leaders called on Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Sindhu B Roopesh and discussed her about quarantine facilities for Indians returning from Gulf amidst covid-19 lockdown.

First evacuation flight from Dubai to Mangaluru will operate on May 12. Demand is mounting on the Centre to operate more flights from Gulf countries including UAE and Saudi Arabia.

International passengers will not be direct sent home after they land at any Indian airport. They will be divided into two categories. After screening at the airports, symptomatic will be sent directly to the covid-19 hospitals and asymptomatic and healthy will be sent for mandatory quarantine in designated hotel rooms and guest houses.

District administration has clarified that those who are under quarantine in hotels and guest houses will not be allowed to have outside food. Nor they will be allowed to contact anyone.

The delegation brought to the notice of DC that there will be many fasting Muslims among Gulf returnees and they need Suhoor and Iftar facility during Ramadan. The DC positively responded and assured that such facility will be arranged in the hotel rooms.

The delegation also asked about the claim of the officials of ministry of external affairs that delay in arranging quarantine facility in Karnataka delayed the evacuation flights from Gulf countries to the state. The DC said that the district administration has already made necessary arrangements for those who are coming to Dakshina Kannada.

Led by Mangaluru MLA U T Khader, the delegation comprised of JD(S) MLC B M Farookh, S M Rasheed Haji, Shafi Saadi, Mumtaz Ali, Kanchur Monu, B A Mohiuddin Bava, Ibrahim Kodichal, Rasheed Haji of Ullal Dargah and others.

Belgaum, Apr 27: A CRPF COBRA commando was thrashed and dragged to police station barefoot by police allegedly for violating lockdown norms here in Belgavi district.

Sachin Savant, the CRPF commando of 207 COBRA was arrested by police personnel of Sadalga Police Station on April 23 on the alleged charges of violating lockdown norms and assaulting/deterring public servant from discharging his duty. The incident took place when the commando was cleaning his motorcycle in front of his house at Examba.

Images of the jawan being tied up in chains and the video of the incident have created furore on social media.

Calling it an "unfortunate incident", CRPF Additional Director General (Operations) Sanjay Arora wrote to Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood.

"In an unfortunate incident, Ct Sachin Savant of 207 COBRA was arrested by police personnel of Sadalga Police Station, Distt Belagavi, on Apr 23, on the alleged charges of violating lockdown norms and assaulting/deterring public servant from discharging his duty. The individual was on extended leave and cleaning his motorcycle in front of his house, at Examba, when the incident took place," Arora said in a letter to DGP.

In the video of the incident, the commando is seen standing near a bike, while multiple police personnel indulge in a verbal spat with him. A police personnel can be seen repeatedly pushing and shoving the jawan. The commando retaliates after he was attacked with a lathi by the police.

"Reportedly, a skirmish had taken place between the COBRA commando and the Beat police personnel over wearing of a mask, following which he was manhandled and ill-treated, before his family members, and paraded to the police station barefoot, where he was kept in chains and handcuff," CRPF ADG said.

He said the viral video shows that police personnel's conduct was not "citizen-centric".
Stressing that this "unpleasant situation" could have been avoided, if the Karnataka police had taken CRPF hierarchy into confidence before making the arrest, he said: "CRPF is a very reputed force, with high standards of discipline, and we have the institutionalized mechanism for taking care of such situations."
Arora asked that Karnataka DGP to get the matter inquired and provide justice.

Meanwhile, CRPF spokesperson M Dhinakaran said the bail plea of the commando will be taken up in the court on Tuesday.

"We have taken up the case with State Police Chief of Karnataka. On Tuesday, his bail plea case is coming before the court. The CRPF will be in court through a local officer. Thereafter, an investigation into the matter shall be followed up to take it to the logical conclusion," said Dhinakaran.

Giving clarification on the matter, Belgavi Superintendent of Police told media that the CRPF jawan was found roaming with friends, who ran away on seeing police. However, the jawan was caught without a mask.

"The jawan was standing without wearing a mask. When policemen on duty asked him why he is not wearing a mask, he started arguing asking them who are you to ask and I am from CRPF, thereby violating the orders promulgated by DC," he said.

The SP also claimed that the jawan lost his cool and kicked the stomach of one of the constables.

"The jawan held the collar of the police constable and started pushing him aggressively. Another head constable, who is old, came to the rescue of his fellow colleague. Later the jawan was taken to the police station and a case was registered under various sections of IPC and Section 3 of Epidemic Disease Act against him," he said.