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Bengaluru, Mar 23: Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi cautioned private bus transport services operators, taxis and autorickshaws from exploiting commuters in wake of bus and train services being suspended by the government as precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In a statement released here on Monday, Transport Minister Savadi said it has come to the notice that private buses, taxis and autorickshaws were misusing the opportunity and exploiting commuters. Inter-district bus services have been suspended in the districts wherein lockdown has been announced to protect the health of people and none should violate the decision of the government, he stated.

Transport and Police Department officials have been asked to taken action against those violating norms and exploiting commuters. Service providers for their profit cannot risk with the health of the people and repeated cases if come to the fore, they will not be spared, Savadi cautioned.

Government has taken measures to prevent spread of COVID-19. Private transport service providers and people should join hands and cooperate to contain it, he appealed. 

Mangaluru, May 21: The Supreme Court has awarded Rs 7.64 crore compensation to the next of kin of a man who was killed in a crash-landing of Air India Express Flight 812 from Dubai in Mangalore on May 22, 2010. The accident killed 158 out of 166 passengers on board.

The family of the 45-year-old Mahendra Kodkany, which include his wife, daughter and son, were earlier granted Rs 7.35 crore as compensation by National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC). This compensation will now get enhanced after adding 9 per cent interest per annum (on the amount yet to be paid), to be paid by Air India.

Kodkany was the regional director for the Middle East for a UAE-based company. The aircraft overshot the runway and went down a hillside and burst into flames.

A bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi said: "The total amount payable on account of the aforesaid heads works out to Rs 7,64,29,437. Interest at the rate of nine per cent per annum shall be paid on the same basis as has been awarded by the NCDRC. The balance, if any, that remains due and payable to the complainants, after giving due credit for the amount which has already been paid, shall be paid within a period of two months."

The apex court noted that in a claim for compensation arising out of the death of an employee, the income has to be assessed on the basis of the entitlement of the employee. The top court said: "We are unable to accept the reasons which weighed with the NCDRC in making a deduction of AED (UAE currency) 30,000 from the total CTC. Similarly, and for the same reason, we are unable to accept the submission of Air India that the transport allowance should be excluded. The bifurcation of the salary into diverse heads may be made by the employer for a variety of reasons."

The top court observed that the deceased was evidently, a confirmed employee of his employer. "We have come to the conclusion that thirty per cent should be allowed on account of future prospects", added the court.

The top court noted that if the amount which has been paid by Air India is in excess of the payable under the present judgement, "we direct under Article 142 of the Constitution (discretionary powers) that the excess shall not be recoverable from the claimants," said the court.

Bengaluru, Apr 20: As many as 59 people were arrested on Monday for attacking police and health officials at the minority dominated Padarayanapura in the city when they went to quarantine some people, police said.

"Fifty-nine people have been arrested (in Padarayanapura) and have been taken into custody. The people attacked the officials who had gone to quarantine some poeple who were the primary and secondary contacts of three COVID-19 patients," a police officer said.

A large number of people, mostly youth from the minority community poured on to the road on Sunday and thrashed the health workers who had gone to quarantine some people who were the primary and secondary contacts of the health workers.

The officials were allegedly beaten black and blue.

Some local residents who went to the rescue of these officials were also thrashed.

According to police, one among the arrested is a woman by name Firoza who had allegedly instigated the mob to attack the health and police officials.

Subsequently, a large number of police personnel were deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident and to quarantine those who are suspected to be infected with COVID- 19.

Blowing sirens, a strong contingent of policemen carried out a flag march in the area.

The Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao later called on Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and briefed him about the situation in Padayarayanapura.

The violent incident drew angry reactions from various quarters.

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said an incident like the one at Padayarayanapura will not be tolerated.

"I met Chief Minister and briefed him about the incident. He has told us to act strictly. I have told the same to my officials. We won't tolerate such acts by anyone. We have arrested 59 people. Five FIRs have been registered," the minister told reporters.

Bommai, who visited the area took the senior police officials to task for not being present on the spot when the incident took place.

"Where were you? What were you doing when the incident happened?" he questioned a senior police officer.

"We will demonstrate to the people what is containment zone, what is seal down and what is police action," he said.

Condemning the incident, Health Minister B Srimulu warned those who indulged in such activities.

"The inhuman act of attacking police and health workers in Padarayanapura is highly deplorable. Our government will take appropriate step against those indulging in the attack on health officials and police officials who had gone there to protect them," he tweeted.

BJP's firebrand MP Shobha Karandlaje reacted sharply.

"Seculars attack #CoronaWarriors when they were quarantining the secondary contacts of #Covid19 in Padarayanapura of BLR. While #HealthcareHeroes are working overnight to contain #CoronaPandemic, these morons are assaulting our heroes! Let's not be soft on these anti- nationals!" Karandlaje tweeted.

Meanwhile, the minority leaders called on Congress state president D K Shivakumar to persuade the people of the minority community to assist in identifying the COVID-19 patients or carriers.

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy too condemned the attack and demanded stringent action against the culprits.

The Congress MLA from the area B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan while condemning the incident, sought to know why the health workers and police officials went to the area late in the night and not in the morning.

"Why did the police and the health workers go in the night when I had told the BBMP Commissioner that I will take them at 10 am?" Khan told reporters.

Defending those who attacked the government officials, Khan said they were uneducated labourers who didn't know what they were doing.

Padarayanapura and Bapuji Nagar were among the first areas to be completely sealed as people were not abiding by the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC.