Another stabbing at B C Road sparks fresh tension in Bantwal taluk

Bengaluru, Feb 5: Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that he has demanded a report on the Shaheen School incident after reports emerged that children were allegedly interrogated by the police for hours at a stretch, while not allowing parents to be present.

Terming the incident a very sensitive matter as it involves children, Basavaraj Bommai said, "I have asked for a report on the Shaheen School incident. As it is a very sensitive and serious issue, I have asked the police to handle it carefully."

"I have asked the police to take the help of the women and child protection committee at the district level. However, I have been told that the police had visited the area where the play was done and no interrogation of children in isolation took place. Nevertheless, I have asked the police to handle the issue with care and do everything within the law," Basavaraj added.

The matter pertains to a programme organised as a part of the Republic day celebrations where the children in Shaheen School in Bidar had staged a play against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had protested alleging that the play at Shaheen School in Bidar was derogatory. In the play, the participants were shown staging an anti-CAA sequence where there were dialogues encouraging non-cooperation with anyone asking for documents. A case was registered against the school management.

Meanwhile, CEO of Shaheen Education Institute, Bidar, Tauseef Madikeri had said, "Police have invoked Sections 124A, 505 and 504 of the IPC against the institution, over a play staged against CAA and NRC. It is beyond anyone's imagination. Deputy SP visited the classroom and interrogated the students."

Karnataka police had sealed the offices of the school after its students participated in the play. Meanwhile, the police had questioned students of Shaheen School after a play against the CAA and NRC was staged during the Republic Day celebrations.

The child rights groups, teachers and educationists had issued a statement condemning the police interrogation in the incident.

Bengaluru, Feb 25: In the view of 2nd PUC exams from March 4, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has approved free travel for students from home to exam centre on Monday.

"BMTC has extended free travel facility to all PUC students from their residence to examination centre on production of exam hall/admission ticket," said a press note.

BMTC has been issuing student concessional passes to travel from their residence to college at concessional rates for the benefit of students. 

Bengaluru, Jul 17: Lashing out at Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led government over the handling of coronavirus crisis, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Thursday demanded Governor's rule in the state. He also took a dig at Health Minister B Sriramulu's "Only God can save us" remark.

"I heard the statement of Sriramulu and Sudhakar. They have said that they cannot manage this (coronavirus crisis) and they leave it to God who can save Karnataka. If such is the case, they could not solve the problems of the people of Karnataka. It is time now they must resign and let the Governor's rule come into force. The time has come for all of them to step down," Shivakumar said.

Taking to Twitter, Sriramulu said that the KPCC president misinterpreted his statement.

He said that Opposition allegations of negligence and incapability of the government and irresponsibility of ministers are "far from the truth".

The minister said that people should be made aware of the prevention of coronavirus as it plays a very important role in the prevention of infection.

"Here are the cautioning words, 'If you stumble, only God has to save us.' The government, our Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and ministers are working day and night. We are working for the people, to effectively face this century's challenge," he tweeted.

As many as 4,169 new COVID-19 cases and 104 deaths were reported in Karnataka on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 51,422 cases including 19,729 recoveries and 1,032 deaths.

Bengaluru reported 2,344 new cases and 70 deaths in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department.