Karnataka ready for lockdown relaxation, but awaits Centre’s diktat

Bengaluru, Feb 29: Gangster Ravi Poojary, who was arrested from Senegal earlier this week, and is being interrogated by the Cental Crime Branch (CCB) police, wants to evade the Mumbai police for any kind of inquiry. Claiming that there is a serious threat to his life, he is believed to have told his investigators that he should not be sent there. Poojary is being grilled by the CCB for his alleged involvement in numerous cases.

“He is aware that he will be given to the custody of Mumbai police as he had committed several crimes before fleeing India and also made hundreds of extortion calls to the well-heeled there. Hence, he has started requesting us not to send him to Mumbai. He claimed that he has many rivals there and they may go to any extent to get him killed,” a source said. Poojary was once an associate of dreaded underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Poojary has little option but to face Mumbai cops

Poojary had left Dawood’s gang and had joined Chhota Rajan, who split from D-Company and established his own network. There were also attempts by Dawood’s men to assassinate Rajan on a few occasions. During his days in Mumbai, Poojary was also reportedly facing threats from Dawood and other gangsters. “Since Poojary had jumped bail in the murder case of a gangster in Mumbai and f l e d the country, he has no option but to face trial again. Besides, he has made over a hundred extortion calls to businessmen and celebrities in Mumbai in the last two decades.

It’s inevitable for him to face inquiry by the Mumbai police,” an official said. “Now that he knows his options are limited, he is requesting us not to send him to Mumbai under any circumstance, claiming that he faces a serious threat to his life by Dawood’s aides and others. However, when we are done with questioning him, and if Mumbai police approach the court, it will decide whether to give him to their custody or not,” the official added. Poojary, who was brought to India on February 24, has been remanded to police custody till March 7. The police are likely to seek extension of his custody as he is facing close to 100 cases in Karnataka.

Cases filed in 4 states the gangster, originally from Malpe in Dakshina Kannada, has cases against him in Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. At least 46 cases are registered in Bengaluru alone.

Bengaluru, Apr 16: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Thursday inaugurated a mobile Covid-19 testing booth in Bengaluru.

These mobile booths will be used in all wards of Bengaluru to collect samples of those suspected to be infected.

According to information available on the website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as of Thursday, 4:00 PM, 279 coronavirus cases have been reported from the state, with 80 cured/discharged/migrated and 12 deaths.

India's coronavirus tally is at 12,380 cases, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

Bengaluru, May 20: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) had to confront an unprecedented situation as there was a commotion at bus stands in various parts of the state due to the mad rush of passengers.

Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who is in charge of the transport department, admitted that there were some shortcomings in the arrangements. He, however, was confident that things would improve from Wednesday.

As against the dearth of passengers in the bus stands in Bengaluru a day ago, Wednesday witnessed an overwhelming crowd blaming BMTC authorities for not providing enough buses for all the destinations on time.

Some of the employees who were asked to report to duty before certain time were facing difficulty in reaching the office in the absence of bus despite having daily pass and arriving at the stand well in advance.

Authorities were finding it difficult to convince the public as a bus could ferry only 35 passengers at a time which was way less than the demand.