Rs 3,000-cr required to repair infrastructure in Kodagu, DK, other rain-hit districts

Kalaburagi, May 16: Former Karnataka Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil, who was booked for violating COVID-19 imposed lockdown guidelines said on Friday that it was "politically motivated".

"It's politically motivated, the officer who filed the case was forced by MLA or some other people. As elected representatives, we're going in the constituencies, listening to people as they're apprehensive about the return of migrants. We had not conducted any meeting. Wherever we have gone we have followed social distancing," Patil said.

Patil said, "When I had gone there people came to discuss about a local problem and I was talking to an official concerned. In the meantime, some officer gave a complaint that we have violated the lockdown or something."

"They are trying to curb the voice of opposition because there are a lot of lacunae. We hear complaints about quarantine centres that there is no proper facility for food, or stay, or bathrooms," the Congress leader said.

The FIR was registered on Thursday against 23 persons, including the former MLA and 21 local Congress leaders, under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Congress leader Patil and his followers had conducted a meeting at a convention hall in Sulpeth town on May 13, following which sectoral magistrate Muneer Ahmed lodged a complaint.

Bengaluru, Mar 27: Karnataka has recorded the third death due to the Covid-19 virus. It is a man from Tumakuru with a travel history to Delhi. He had been put in isolation at the District Hospital in Tumakuru on March 24.

His travel history indicates that he travelled to New Delhi by the Sampark Kranti Express (Coach S6) on March 5 along with 13 members. They reached Hazrat Nizamuddin station in New Delhi on March 7 and went to the Jamia Masjid and rented an room at a lodge nearby.

He began the return journey to Karnataka by the Kongu Express on March 11 in Coach no. S9. On March 18, he developed cough and fever and visited a private hospital the next day. He was referred to the District Hospital in Tumakuru but on March 24, he left the hospital against medical advice and went to a private medical facility. He was referred back to the District Hospital, where he was put isolation.

Dammam, May 29: A woman hailing from Mangaluru, who was waiting for repatriation amidst coronavirus lockdown in Saudi Arabia, passed away yesterday after a brief illness.

The deceased has been identified as Lateefa (55), wife of Abdul Azeez, a resident of Angaragundi near Baikampady on the outskirts of the city.

She had flown to Saudi Arabia in November 2019 along with her husband to spend some time with their NRI son in Dammam. They were supposed to return in April this year.

After the sudden cancellation of regular flights due to lockdown, they were waiting for the repatriation flights from Dammam to Mangaluru or Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, Lateefa’s health condition worsened and she was hospitalised. She passed away on Thursday without responding to any treatment. Last rites are expected to take place in Dammam.