Sirsi limps back to normalcy after violent protests; security remains tight

Bengaluru, July 14: The Karnataka government has allowed some relaxations during the week-long lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural districts. The lockdown will commence from 8p.m. today (July 14) and end at 5a.m. on July 22.  The government has released the guidelines for lockdown.

Restrictions

*No new flights or trains will be permitted; only flights and trains already scheduled will continue to operate. Flight and train tickets shall serve as passes for movement by taxis/cab aggregators/auto rickshaws.

* Metro rail services prohibited

* Taxis and services of cab aggregators will be prohibited except for emergency and as permitted in guidelines.

* Schools, colleges, educational/training/coaching institutions etc. will remain closed. Online/distance learning shall continue to be permitted. Examination already scheduled shall be permitted

* Hotels, restaurants, and hospitality services, prohibited except those meant for health/police/government officials/healthcare workers. Hotels and restaurants shall be permitted to operate kitchens for takeaway/home delivery of food items only.

* All cinema halls, shopping malls, gymnasiums, sports complexes, stadia, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, bars and auditoriums, assembly halls and similar places.

* All social/political/sports/entertainment/academic/cultural religious functions/other gatherings and large congregations.

* All religious places/places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited. Commercial and private establishment shall be closed down

Relaxations (outside containment zone)

* Shops including ration shops (PDS), dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, etc. to open only from 5 am to 12 noon. Home delivery of essential items shall be encouraged.

* All facilities in the supply chain of essential goods, whether involved in manufacturing, wholesale or retail of such goods through local stores, large brick and mortar stores or e-commerce companies.

* All food processing and related industries.

* Banks, insurance offices and ATM.

* Print and electronic media.

* Telecommunication, internet services, broadcasting and cable services, IT and IT-enabled services with minimum staff for essential purposes. As far as possible, work from home should be encouraged.

* Delivery of essential items such as food, medicines, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment through e-commerce.

* Power generation, transmission and distribution units and services.

* Capital and debt market services and notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)

* Cold storage and warehousing services.

* Private security services.

* Delivery of goods by E-Commerce companies. Industries/industrial establishments as listed below will be allowed to operate (outside containment zones):

i. Production units which require continuous process, and their supply chain.

ii. Food processing industries, manufacturing of essential goods, including drugs, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, their raw material and intermediates.

iii. Manufacturing of packing materials.

iv. Manufacturing and other industrial establishment with access control in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) or outside municipal limits and Export Oriented Units (EoUs), Industrial townships. Construction activities will be allowed in continuation of works in construction projects, where workers are available on site.

Bengaluru, Apr 7:  A group of Muslim philanthropists including a woman were allegedly assaulted by a group of people while they were distributing necessary food items to the needy at Dasarahalli of Amruthahalli Police Station limits in the city.

An FIR has also been registered in this regard and two people have been taken under police custody.

Twenty-three-year-old Syed Tabrez, son of Zarin Taj, secretary of Swaraj Abhiyan's local unit and his mother and friends were attacked by some unknown miscreants at Dasarahalli of Amruthahalli police station limits on Monday while they were distributing essential items to the needy amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

"The incident occurred on Monday. An FIR was filed by the woman stating that she was assaulted by some people. On receiving the information, our officers rushed to Ambedkar Hospital and spoke to one of the victims. As per the complaint, Vidyaranya Pura and Amruthahalli Police have secured two people.

The investigation is underway. It is not a case of communal hatred," said Dr Bheemashakar Guled, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North-East Bengaluru.

Tabrez has suffered minor injuries on his right hand and right leg while others have also suffered minor injuries. They have been discharged from the hospital.

The incident occurred at around 6 pm yesterday when some people came on a motorcycle, carrying bats and started thrashing Tabrez along with others, as per the FIR. Later, the injured people went to Amrutahalli Police Station and filed a complaint there.

Later they went to the Bowring Hospital which was closed. Then, they went to Dr Ambedkar Hospital in KG Halli.

Syed's mother said the accused persons threatened us, saying that "Muslims are poisoning the rations. You people will not deliver the food here. Muslims will have to leave the slum and relocate themselves somewhere else."

Davanagere, Jan 16: Congress leader D K Shivakumar on Thursday turned down all the recent media reports of him aspiring for the coveted Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committe (KPCC) president post.

Terming all the news, doing rounds, as baseless, Shivakumar said that he never made any attempt to become KPCC president. "All I want to do is work for my people and party", he asserted.

Referring to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's visit to Harihar's 'Our Lady of Health Minor Basilica' programme, Shivakumar said."I'm not concerned about what others are doing, everyone is free to take part in the programmes."