Young journalist Basheer killed as IAS officer’s car hits his motorbike

Agencies
August 3, 2019

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 3: A young journalist of a local newspaper was killed early Saturday when a car driven by an IAS officer, allegedly in an inebriated state, mowed him down.

The 33-year-old IAS officer, Sreeram Venkitaraman, who was appointed Survey Director by the state cabinet on Thursday, was behind the wheel when the accident occurred, a senior police officer said.

Venkitaraman, also a Medical doctor and Fullbright Fellow, had recently returned to the state after completing higher studies abroad. He was accompanied by model-friend Wafa Firoze, the owner of the luxury car.

The rashly driven car hit the stationary motorcycle of K Muhammed Basheer (35), Bureau Chief of Malayalam newspaper 'Siraj', at Museum road in the heart of the city as he was returning home from work.

Parts of the motorbike and the car were strewn around and Basheer's slippers and some articles were found metres away from the accident spot. Blood stains were seen on the road.

According to police, a case has been registered under section IPC 279 (rash driving on a public way) and 304A (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against the two accused.

Eyewitnesses told television channels that the car overtook some autorickshaws and hit the motorcycle at a high speed.

Due to the impact of the collision, Basheer was thrown off his bike, suffering serious injuries and died on the spot.

Though Venkitaraman had earlier reportedly stated that his friend wad driving the car, the woman later in her statement told police categorically that it was the IAS officer who was behind the wheel at the time of the crash.

"There were conflicting statements on who drove the car. We have now confirmed from independent witnesses that Sreeram Venkitaraman was driving the vehicle," IGP and Thiruvananthapuram Police commissioner, Dhinendra Kashyap, told PTI.

The blood samples and statement of the official has also been taken.

Venkitaraman, who is also said to be injured, was admitted to a private hospital here.

Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has demanded a proper and truthful investigation in the case to bring the guilty to book.

Transport Minister A K Saseendran said IAS officers should set an example for others by following rules and regulations strictly.

Steps would be taken to cancel the driving license of the accused, he told reporters.

Expressing deep shock and grief, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the media fraternity had lost a member who had a bright future.

Leader of Opposition, Ramesh Chennithala and Devaswom Minister, Kadakkampally Surendran, were among those who expressed grief on the death of the journalist who leaves behind his wife and two children.

The KUWJ has also shot off separate letters to Vijayan and DGP Loknath Behera, demanding an impartial and transparent probe into the incident and that culprits be booked.

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News Network
July 1,2020

Mangaluru, Jul 1: The Bajpe police station under the limits of Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate has been sealed down after an arrested accused was tested positive for the Coronavirus.

Police said on Wednesday that the Bajpe police arrested two persons in connection with plotting dacoity in Oddidakala in Bajpe. After the arrest, their throat swab was sent for a test. On Wednesday, one of the accused tested positive for the Coronavirus.

In this connection, the Bajpe police station has been sealed down and the police personnel who were present during the arrest are placed under home quarantine.

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News Network
February 6,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 6: A 33 -year-old techie who was on the run after allegedly bludgeoning her mother to death and attempting to murder her brother at their house near KR Puram early on Sunday was arrested along with her friend from a hotel in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on Wednesday morning.

C Amruta and Sridhar Rao were produced before a court in Port Blair to get a transit warrant, deputy commissioner of police (Whitefield) MN Anuchet said. Police initially thought she had committed the crime as she was unable to repay a loan of Rs 15 lakh and feared being humiliated by the lenders.

"But now we strongly suspect that Amruta and Rao were in a relationship, which was opposed by her mother and brother. We don't see any other reason for her to attack her family members. We can get more details only after questioning the duo," another police officer said, adding, "The most important question is: Did Rao know Amruta was going to kill her mother? Or he got to know about it only later? He'd booked their air tickets to Port Blair on January 31 itself."

Rao and Amruta worked together in a software company in Whitefield till 2017. "Then they joined different firms and were in constant touch," police said.

Preliminary probe revealed the duo flew to Port Blair by catching a flight from Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) at 6.30am on Sunday. CCTV footage had shown Rao - wearing a full-face helmet and carrying a backpack - waiting near Amruta's house on a gearless scooter on Sunday morning. After she arrived, they chatted for a while before riding away. They arrived at KIA on the same bike, police said.

"We checked the passengers' list at KIA for that day and found Amruta's name. With the help of Port Blair police, we traced the duo to a hotel," an investigating officer said.

On Sunday morning, Amruta hit her 54-year-old mother C Nirmala on the head with a digging bar. She later stabbed her younger brother C Harish in the neck. Harish collapsed and thinking that he was dead, she left the house.

In his statement to police, Harish stated, "Around 4.30am, Amruta entered my room and stabbed me. I asked her what was wrong. She said she had a debt of Rs 15 lakh and didn't want the debtors to harass me and our mother."

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News Network
March 13,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 13: Amid coronavirus outbreak, all universities, malls, and clubs will remain closed for a week in Karnataka. Karnataka CM Yediyurappa has said no one should travel unless it's an emergency. "All malls, cinema halls, pubs, wedding ceremonies and other large gatherings in the Karnataka have been banned for another one week," Chief Minister Yediyurappa said. This comes hours after the Uttar Pradesh government had decided that all schools, colleges situated in the state will be closed till 31st March 2020.

Following the decision, the Karnataka government on Friday asked doctors and other health staff to work on public holidays also till the spread of coronavirus is contained. Leaves and all week off of state health ministry workers have also been canceled. The government issued a circular stating that certain emergency measures are being taken to control the spread of coronavirus is some parts of the State.

"To manage things in a result-oriented manner, doctors, office personnel, paramedical staff and other permanent and contract employees in hospitals coming under the Health Department have been instructed to work on all public holidays." the government order read.

The decision comes after 76-year-old man in Karnataka's Kalaburagi died of coronavirus and became India's first COVID-19 victim. 46 people in Kalaburagui have been kept under coronavirus quarantine since then. Out of 46, 31 have been put under the "high risk" category. The high-risk persons were shifted to ESIC hospital. Officials said four family members of the man have displayed flu symptoms and their swab samples have been sent for testing in Bengaluru.

Earlier on Friday, an employee of Google's Bengaluru office tested positive for n-coronavirus, taking the total COVID-19 positive cases in Bengaluru to 5. India's total coronavirus positive count rose to 75. Several other states including capital Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh invoked various sections of the epidemic disease act. Meanwhile, the Indian Army has also called off all recruitment drive in wake of coronavirus outbreak.

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