Toastmasters Movement Spreads its Wings: Two new clubs chartered in Bantwal, Shivamogga

Bengaluru, Jan 10: Barely 24 hours after the standoff between BJP workers and students of Jyoti Nivas College (JNC) in Bengaluru over CAA became breaking news, it took political hues with the saffron party and the Congress locking horns over the issue.

Taking the battle to the anti-CAA camp on Thursday, the BJP aggressively defended its party workers, who on Wednesday erected a pro-CAA banner on the college compound wall and allegedly forced students to sign on it as a mark of support.

With one of the workers who had locked horns with JNC students by his side, deputy chief minister CN Ashwath Narayan, at his official residence, questioned students’ right to protest party cadre erecting a pro-CAA banner on their college compound wall.

“How can you tell people not to create awareness about a law that has been passed in this country? Who gave students the right to question political workers? If there was anything wrong, let them report to the police,” retorted the minister, who also holds the higher education department portfolio.

On the other hand, the Congress, cashing in on simmering anger over the assault on JNU students in Delhi, used the JNC standoff to project the ruling party as prime culprits in stifling the voice of students. BTM Layout MLA and seasoned politician R Ramalinga Reddy even warned the BJP against “allowing JNC to become another JNU”.

Reddy met with the JNC administration and extended his support against any “threats” to students. It is being alleged that Reddy was the first to “leak” the video of Wednesday’s row to the media. The college falls in his assembly constituency.

Taking a cue from his colleague’s stand, former CM and opposition leader Siddaramaiah also leaned into the matter and sent a strong message “backing” students in the standoff. “BJP goons are threatening students of Jyotinivas College to support CAA. MrYediyurappa, I am strictly warning you to control hooligans from your party. Don't subvert knowledge & institutions for your selfish motives. We won't let Ktaka to be victim of your Hitler rule!” said Siddaramaiah in a tweet.

Bengaluru, May 23: It was a stampede-like situation near Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Saturday afternoon. The incident took place after hundreds of migrants gathered and jostled to gain entry. The situation raises concerns as no social distancing norms were followed.

According to Chetan Singh Rathore, DCP Central, the reason behind the stampede-like situation was an en masse message. "What we heard was that an en masse message has been conveyed to the people of Manipur and Odisha that they would be able to go home on trains on Saturday. The message did not consider the capacity of the train which is only 1500 seating capacity for Manipur train and 1500 for Odisha train," he told media.

Singh further added, "But the people gathered were around 3000 in number for the Manipur train and 5000 for the Odisha train. Passengers with tickets and requisites were allowed to travel while others were asked to return home and wait for their turn to travel back home."

The state of Karnataka has eased lockdown restrictions across, allowing state transport services to run. Lately, the government has been running special Shramik trains from Karnataka to ferry migrant workers back to their hometowns.

Mangaluru, June 21: A local court has held notorious serial killer Cyanide Mohan Kumar guilty in the murder of a 25-year-old woman from Kasargod. This is the 20th and the last case of Cyanide Mohan to be tried in the sixth additional district and sessions court. 

According to public prosecutor Jayarama Shetty, the victim was working as a cook in a ladies hostel and got in touch with Mohan Kumar, a teacher. He visited her house thrice and promised to marry her. On July 8, 2009, on the pretext of visiting a temple in Sullia, she left home, never to return. 

They had travelled to Bengaluru and three days later, when her family tried to reach her on phone, he told them that she had gone for a bath and that they were married and would be returning back home soon.

The next day Ramakrishna, a constable from Upparpete police station, found a lady lying unconscious outside the bathroom and he immediately rushed her to a local hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. Like in all other cases, after staying in a lodge and having sex with the victim, he took her to the KSRTC bus stand and asked her to consume a cyanide laced tablet, stating it was a contraceptive pill. 

He asked her to leave behind the jewellery that she was wearing at the hotel room. An unnatural death report was registered and since none of her relatives had turned up for identification of the body, on July 15,2009 the body was buried.

The moment the Dakshina Kannada district police arrested the serial killer on October 21, 2009 and his pictures were all over the media, the family recognised him and the victim’s younger sister filed a missing complaint. The police had also recovered the victim’s jewellery from the house of Mohan’s second wife and the jeweller from whom he had purchased cyanide had also identified him. Meanwhile, the CID had taken over the case and a charge sheet was filed.

"The report from the Forensic Science Laboratory is crucial in this case as cyanide was found in the victim’s viscera. Mohan over the years has become a legal expert and in this case, he had sought two adjournments," said Jayaram Shetty. Mohan is currently lodged in the Hindalga central jail.