Fisherman feared dead; search operation called off

Bengaluru, Jul 6: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday said that the "country will have to learn to live with coronavirus as there are no options".

Yediyurappa made the remark after paying tribute to Babu Jagjivan Ram, on his death anniversary, at a ceremony in Vidhana Soudha.

"We don't have any other option, we have to learn to live with this virus. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the same thing. We have increased ambulances, we have made all arrangements to fight the pandemic. It is very important to safeguard ourselves," he said.

The Chief Minister added that the state government has made many arrangements to combat the widespread illness.

According to the Union Health Ministry, there is 23,474 number of COVID-19 cases in the state and 372 people have died due to the illness.

Mangaluru, May 4: No major crowds were seen in the coastal city of Mangaluru today except in front of the liquor shops after the district administration relaxed the lockdown norms for 12 hours a day (between 7am and 7pm).

There was no mad rush of vehicles either on city roads when the relaxed lockdown began. There were fewer people to buy essentials in front of grocery and vegetable shops as they had time till late evening.

There was no let down in the number of police pickets as well as curbs on vehicular movement across the city either. 

The government has allowed sale of liquor in CL2 (standalone wine shops) and CL 11 (MSIL outlets) to mop up revenues when Lockdown-3 commenced from Monday. Compared the other parts of Karnataka, the size of queues in front of liquor shops in Mangaluru were smaller. 

Like other parts of the country, the lockdown was imposed in the coastal district on March 24 to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Prior to that, a curfew was imposed in the district from March 22 midnight. The lockdown did not apply to essential services such as sale of food, groceries, milk, vegetables, fruits, and meat and fish. Gradually the district administration had to intensify the lockdown and allow those shops to remain open only between 7 a.m. and 12 noon. 

With the lockdown relaxation extending till 7 p.m., Mangaluru today witnessed people and private vehicles moving freely in the afternoon for the first time in more than a month. However, only those who had to go for work and do other essential activities were seen on roads. After 7 p.m. movements of all kinds of vehicles will be prohibited. 

The relaxation was to facilitate economic activities that had come to a standstill during the first two phases of lockdown. Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Dr P S Harsha, meanwhile, warned the people against misusing lockdown relaxation and venturing out without any genuine reason.

Hassan, May 8: A newly married couple accidentally fell into the Hemavathi river and drowned while clicking selfies near Henneli village in the district, police said on Friday.

The deceased were identified as Kritika (23) of the same village and Artheesh (27) of Belur taluk in the district.

They got married on March 20. Both were working in Bengaluru and were in the village due to the lockdown.