Ram Puniyani gets police protection after threats from saffron extremists

News Network
June 9, 2019

Mumbai, Jun 9: Social activist and thinker Ram Puniyani, who had received threats and abuse over phone from unidentified saffron extremists on the night of June 6, has been provided 24 hour police protection.

Puniyani, a former IIT Mumbai professor, had filed an FIR with the Mumbai police after he received threat calls. "I am relieved that the police have provided me and my family with round-the-clock protection. Police personnel will be deployed to protect us till the conclusion of the investigation into my complaint," he said.

The police protection was ordered after Puniyani met Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsinh Nishandar on Saturday evening. DCP's office will monitor the investigation in the case.

DCP Nishandar confirmed the police protection order.

An unidentified caller had accused Puniyani of being anti-Hindu and threatened him to dire consequences if he did not stop his activities. Following this he not only filed a police complaint, but also wrote to the Mumbai Police Commissioner. He also met the Joint Commissioner with a delegation of civil society members.

Citizens for Justice and Peace, a civil rights organisation, also intervened on his behalf and moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to provide him adequate protection and to ensure that the authorities take the matter very seriously given previous attacks on rationalists like Narendra Dabholkar, MM Kalburgi, Govind Pansare and Gauri Lankesh, allegedly by members of right-wing extremist groups.

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News Network
May 1,2020

Mangaluru, May 1: Dakshina Kannada on Friday two more positive cases of coronavirus in the district, taking the total number of cases to 24.

According to the state health bulletin, the 62-year old husband of the 58-year old woman of Boloor who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, also tested positive for the virus.

Another 69-year old patient hailing from Kasaba in Bantwal Taluk also tested positive for the infection.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 26,2020

Bengaluru, May 26: The Karnataka government has decided cancel summer vacation for undergraduate and post-graduate students and universities during the 2020-21 academic year in the wake of severe academic loss due to COVID-19 lockdown.

Keeping in mind the loss of academic days due to the lockdown to contain the pandemic, the Higher Education Department has decided to go in for ‘Zero Vacation’. 

The state government decided to cancel all holidays particularly the summer holidays after holding a series of meetings with the Vice Chancellors and other academicians from various parts of the state.

The decision was also communicated during the review meeting of the Higher Education Department held by CM Yediyurappa on Tuesday in Bengaluru.

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News Network
August 7,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 7: Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, the state's health department issued fresh guidelines for the disposal of bodies of COVID patients.

"Although an increased risk of COVID infection from a dead body to health workers or family members who follow standard precautions while handling the body is unlikely, the lack of scientific data requires the utmost care to avoid the inadvertent spread of COVID-19 during these times," the statement from the health department's press release read, emphasising on the dignity of the dead and the religious and cultural tradition.

The 23-page press release elaborated on guidelines regarding testing, handling of dead bodies and other specificities in relation to the management of COVID-19 bodies.

"Testing should not be insisted in every case of death, but only when they have a recorded history of influenza-like symptoms. The body should be handed over to the family members/ relatives in a dignified manner immediately after swab collection and hospitals should provide handouts with a list of dos and don'ts in English and Kannada laying down relevant information," the statement said.

It added, "At the mortuary, health care workers, mortuary staff and the family of the deceased body shall not come in direct contact with the dead body and must wear full personal protective equipment (PPE). If the family or relative are for any reason unable to cremate or bury the body, the local health authority shall arrange for the dignified last rites as per the religious traditions of the family."

Regarding autopsies (post mortem) on COVID-19 bodies, the state department said that they should be avoided, except in necessary circumstances.

The statement also gave detailed guidelines regarding the appropriate recording of COVID-19 deaths in line with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.

Additionally, the health department made a statement about the admission procedure for COVID positive patients referred by other district administrations saying, "It is now mandatory for all the referrals from the BBMP admission and discharge of COVID positive patients to be done through the online COVID Hospital Bed Management System (CHBMS)."

The state's count of coronavirus cases was 1,51,449 in the past 24 hours.

So far, a total of 2,804 people have died due to COVID-19 in the state, while the average recovery rate in Karnataka is 49.3 per cent.

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