​​​​​​​Modi-Shah fans of Bengaluru flock to street in support of contentious CCA

Mangaluru, May 27: Mangaluru MLA U T Khader today urged Dakshina Kannada MP and Karnataka BJP chief Nalin Kumar Kateel to pave the way for immediate repatriation of Mangalureans stranded across Gulf countries.

The development comes amidst reports that lack of preparedness on part of the authorities concerned in Dakshina Kannada compelled the Centre to delay the operation of repatriation flights from various Gulf to Mangaluru International Airport under Vande Bharat Mission.

Lakhs of people from Mangaluru region (coastal Karnataka) alone are working in middle eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Thousands of them are currently stranded thanks to covid-19 lockdown and are helplessly waiting for repatriation.

Speaking to coastaldigest.com, Mr Khader said he already spoke to Mr Kateel and brought to his notice the plight of Mangalureans in Saudi Arabia and other gulf countries. "There are a large number of pregnant women, senior citizens and patients who need immediate repatriation. It is the responsibility of the elected representatives and district administration to pave the way for the repatriation of our people and arrange quarantine facilities for them," he said. 

"Mr Kaeel is not only MP of Dakshina Kannada. He is also the chief of Karnataka's ruling party. Hence, he must play a crucial role in facilitating the return of Kannadigas in general and Mangalureans in particular," Mr Khader said. 

Bengaluru, June 22: Even as the covid-19 positive cases are steadily increasing in Karnataka, an expert has claimed that community transmission has begun in Bengaluru and cases could keep rising over the next two months.

“If you look at the natural course of this virus across countries around the world, it is about six months. Now we’re in the fourth month. This will go on for another two months. It also sounds like this is the beginning of the peak. There is also a possibility of the number of cases going up from now on. Even across India, cases are increasing,” says Dr CN Manjunath, director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research and State Task Force member.

Besides the increase in number of cases, the virus is advancing silently, stealthily. A lot of people who are testing positive are asymptomatic. In areas like Padarayanapura, Nanjangud and many places in north Karnataka, there have been positive cases who have not had any contact with infected individuals. Some cases recorded in Bengaluru over the last two to three days have not had any contact with Covid-positive people.

Dr Manjunath adds: “We are in community transmission. This will happen because nature is ahead of everything. We have to take all possible precautionary measures at our command. This has to happen. Only then some kind of herd immunity will be developed.”

“We are expanding the guidelines of testing to include a large number of people to be tested. Now, according to the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines, only symptomatic Influenza like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI), or a person coming in contact with an infected person are being tested.

But since we have crossed 100 days in Karnataka from the first reported case and we’re getting cases with no travel history or contact with a Covid-positive person, we have to start random testing across the sub-group population. Only then will we understand the burden of the disease and what precautions need to be taken,” he says.

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.