Scolded by HD Revanna for joining Cong, farmer commits suicide; video goes viral

Bengaluru, Apr 26: Two businessmen brothers, Tajammul Pasha and Muzammil Pasha, in Karnataka's Kolar district have set out to help people in need amid the lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic by selling their land for Rs 25 lakh.

On seeing daily wage labourers and their families in Kolar suffer during the lockdown, the brothers said they decided to sell their land and use the money to buy essentials and food grain for a large number of poor people.

The brothers also bought oil and cereals with the money. Then they set up a tent next to their house and started a community kitchen to make food for labourers and homeless people.

"Our parents died early. When we shifted to our maternal grandmother's place at  Kolar, people from communities, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims helped us survive without any religious bias," said Tajammul Pasha, visibly emotional.

The Pasha brothers are into banana cultivation and real estate. Tajammul was five and his sibling Muzammil was three when they lost their parents. They had to move from Chickbalapor to Kollar, where their grandmother lived.

"We were brought up in poverty. We survived because of the support of people of all communities and religions. We have signed the society agreement bond and handed it over to our friend who purchased our site and gave the money," the brothers said.

Once the lockdown ends and the land registrar's office opens, the remaining steps to transfer the land will be completed, they said.

So far the two brothers have supplied food grain, oil, sugar and other essentials to over 3,000 families. They have also given hand sanitizers and masks to the poor.

The Kolar administration has issued passes to their volunteers so that they can help in this difficult time.

The number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 24,506, including 775 deaths, the Home Ministry said today, adding that 1,429 cases and 57 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

Amid a countrywide lockdown to check the spread of the highly contagious illness, which began on March 25, the government last night issued an order to allow neighbourhood shops to remain open with conditions; malls across India continue to remain shut.

Mangaluru, Mar 30: In continuing cases of tipplers in the southern states ending their lives due to non-availability of liquor during the lockdown, two men committed suicide in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.

The two suicides were reported in Kadaba taluk on Saturday, police said.

Tomy Thomas (50), a rubber tapping labourer in an estate at Kutrupadi village of the taluk, was found hanging at his rented house on Saturday. Thomas, a native of Kottayam in Kerala, had joined at the estate here a month ago.

Local people said he was desperately moving around in the last few days asking about places where he can get liquor. He had also not reported to work in these days. The body has been kept at the mortuary of a hospital at Deralakatte.

In another incident, a 70-year old man, belonging to Kodimbala village in the taluk, allegedly hanged himself from the branch of a tree near his house at Nakur.

The deceased has been identified as Thomas, who had left his family here 30 years ago and had been working in Kerala. He had returned here only a few years back.

Sources said Thomas, an alcohol addict, was having health problems related to withdrawal. He has been living on pavements at Kadaba without going home.

Kadaba police has registered cases in connection with the two incidents.

Incidents of tipplers committing suicide have been reported in Kerala and Telangana in the past few days. Two men ended their lives in Kerala today while a 50-year old daily wage worker jumped to death from a building in Hyderabad on Friday.

Bengaluru, Jun 29: The results of second pre-university and the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination results will be out by July last week and August first week, Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar said on Monday.

Instead of giving general promotion to the 10th and 12th standard students as the Central Board of Secondary Education and other states have done, the Karnataka government decided to hold the examination defying the coronavirus scare.

"We are trying to get the SSLC results out by the first week of August.The PUC results will be out in the last week of July," the minister told reporters in Bengaluru.

Amid reports of schools increasing the school fees ignoring the government's direction, the minister said he has got reports that 1,150 schools have increased their fees of which action has been taken against 450 schools.

"We have directed all the schools not to increase the fees in view of the coronavirus scare.

It is a peculiar year.Humanity says no one should increase fees.

We have set up a helpline. If we come across such practices, we will initiate action," Kumar said.

He said an officer has been entrusted to look into the complaints against schools.

Speaking about online classes for kindergarten students, the minister said such classes are not allowed.

The schools can hold talks with parents twice a week about grooming their children.

Kumar said a decision on opening kindergarten schools will be taken after July 5.

He, however, conceded that most parents are unwilling to send their children to school.

The government is gathering the opinion of parents based on which a decision would be taken, he added.

Regarding education to students from Class one to Class 10, Kumar said the Centre has given guidelines, which will be followed.

The state has formed an expert committee to recommend guidelines on education to children from Class I to Class six.

"Once the committee report comes, we will formulate regulations," Kumar added.