Mangaluru: 8 college students arrested while selling ganja

Bengaluru, Mar 10: With concerns growing by the day, the Karnataka government is readying three more labs to test throat swab samples.

Currently, only two labs in Bengaluru — National Institute of Virology and Virus Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (VRDL) lab attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute — are categorised biosafety level 2+, a requirement for coronavirus tests.

Now, the government is working on upgrading three more labs, one each in the government medical colleges at Hassan, Mysuru and Shivamogga. “The labs will be ready within one week,” the authorities said.

Currently, the labs are testing only throat swab samples of suspected patients and taking 24 hours to give the results. “A patient’s blood sample will be collected only if he or she tests positive for covid-19 infection in the first throat swab sample.

While earlier the state would send all samples of suspected coronavirus cases to NIV, Pune, the two labs were upgraded to biosafety level 2+ in mid-February.

Mangaluru, Apr 19: The covid-19 being spread by the novel coronavirus has claimed a life in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada.  

The victim, a 50-year-old woman from Bantwal taluk, breathed her last at Wenlock Hospital today morning. 

She was rushed to a private hospital yesterday after she developed breathing problems. Then she was shifted to Wenlock Hospital's block for suspected coronavirus patients, and placed in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Her throat swab was collected the same day and sent for testing for coronavirus. However, today morning her condition worsened and she passed away.

The report was received on later on Sunday afternoon, which confirmed that she had contracted coronavirus.

The woman's family members including her husband, son and mother-in-law have been placed under quarantine. It is learnt that her mother-in-law's condition is serious and she has been admitted to the ICU.

The throat swabs of all the three family members have been sent for coronavirus test. According to sources, the woman's son had come from Dubai recently.

Meanwhile, a 30-year-old woman from Uppinangady, who is undergoing treatment in a hospital, today tested positive for the covid-19.

With the confirmation of two new cases, the total number of reported covid-19 cases in Dakshina Kannada reached 15. Out of which only two case are currently active and 12 have been discharged. Another one passed away.

Mangaluru, June 13:  The Central Crime Branch of Bengaluru City Police, which is digging up old cases involving underworld gangster Ravi Pujari, has now launched a fresh probe into the murder of human rights lawyer Naushad Kashimji.

Kashimji was gunned down on April 9, 2009 at the basement of his apartment in Falnir in Mangaluru. Ravi Pujari had allegedly ordered the hit. 

As part of investigation, a team from Benglauru CCB has come to Mangaluru. CCB sleuths, who obtained Pujari’s police custody in connection with this case, are tying up the loose ends pertaining to the murder of Kashimji who was representing D-Company hitman Abdul Rashid Hassan Malbari aka Malbari. 

Pujari was said to be unhappy over Kashimji representing Malbari. Pujari had also allegedly issued life threats, directing him to desist from doing so.

Kashimji had reportedly received more than 10 international threat calls from March 30 to April 9 (the day he was murdered). According to a senior police officer, the advocate had not informed the police or his then senior Purushottam Poojary about receiving the threat calls. “This came to light when police went through his call records later,” the officer explained.

“CCB team is primarily focusing on Pujari’s role in the advocate’s sensational murder,” a senior CCB officer handling the investigating said. 

“We have also lined up other cases in which Pujari is allegedly involved, but had filed the chargesheet against him in absentia as he was then a fugitive,” the officer added. The team is now picking up threads of Pujari’s involvement cases in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts.

Pujari, currently in police custody in Bengaluru, is accused in more than 30 cases reported in Mangaluru from 2007 to 2018. Majority of the cases against Pujari pertain to extortion and extending death threats, one relating to murder, three to shootings/ abduction and one where he supplied money to his henchmen in prison. Police have filed ‘C’ report in 17 out of 28 threat call cases and ‘B’ report in one case. Rest are in different stages of trial.