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

Mangaluru, Apr 24: The last rites of the elderly woman who died of covid-19 yesterday was finally held in the wee hours of Friday amidst tight security at Kaikunje Hindu Rudra Bhoomi near BC Road bus stand in spite of severe opposition from the members of the own community.

The funeral was held as per the protocol for COVID-19 deaths, police said.

Prior to this hundreds of Hindus had staged a protest  last night in front of Pachanady Hindu Rudra Bhoomi near Vamanjoor following reports that the the 77-year-old coronavirus positive woman's mortal remains will be cremated there.

Mangaluru North MLA Bharat Shetty rushed to the spot and convinced the protesters that he will not allow the authorities to cremate the body at Pachanady. Hence, the authorities shifted the cremation venue, it is learnt. 

Meanwhile, many local residents staged protest at Pachanady against the cremation of the dead body of a coronavirus positive woman. Hence, additional police force was sent from Mangaluru to disperse the crowd and facilitate the last rite.

According to sources, initially the authorities had  planned to cremate body at Baddakatte Hindu Rudra Bhoomi near here native place in Bantwal. However, the locals and the community elders had forced the authorities to change the plan.

Such protests due to misconception about the spread of coronavirus had been witnessed in some other parts of the country, including in Chennai, and the governments have warned of action against those opposing cremation or burial of COVID-19 patients.

So far as many as 17 covid-19 postive cases have been reported in Dakshina Kannada including two deaths from same family from Bantwal's Kasba village.

Mangaluru, Feb 5: ‘Forum for the justice of December 19 Mangaluru firing victims’ has demanded that the policemen who are responsible for the death of two innocent men in Mangaluru one-and-a-half months ago should be booked for homicide. 

49-year-old Abdul Jaleel Kandak, a father of two, and 23-year-old Nausheen Kudroli, were killed in an arbitrary and unwarranted police firing during a disturbance occurred due to police baton charge in the city on December 2019. 

Addressing a press conference, Forum’s convenor Abdul Jaleel Krishnapur said that a judicial inquiry commission should be set up to probe into the police firing which claimed two lives and injured many other innocent civilians.  

“Already a murder case should have been filed against the policemen who opened fire on the people.  Instead, false cases have been booked against many innocent people including the victims. This is a blot on the society,” he said. 

He urged the government to direct the police department to drop false charges registered against the victims and take necessary action against the culprits in khaki. 

He said that the Form demands Rs 25 lakh each compensation for the kin of the two men murdered by the police and Rs 15 lakh compensation for those who injured in police firing on December 19.

Bengaluru, Apr 12: The Karnataka government is studying in-depth the consequences of the possible relaxation of lockdown norms after April 14 and plans to come out with a clear roadmap in a day or two, a key Minister said on Sunday.

Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar, who is in charge of all matters related to COVID-19, told PTI that the pros and cons of any decision that the Government intends to take is being looked at in detail.

"We are trying to understand how the situation would be of any action that we intend to take. We need to foresee the repercussions or results of our action. That we have to keep it in mind and make a decision. After-effects of the decisions we intend to take, that is more important, he said. You will have clarity (on the possible relaxation of lockdown norms) in a day or two. For everything (government decisions) we will give the reasoning for what action we would like to take; with the reasoning, we will give a decision," the Minister added.

Government sources said some relaxation in liquor sales, stopped during the lock-down period, is likely after the ongoing 21-day national clampdown ends on April 14. Twelve of the state's 30 districts remain free from the COVID-19 pandemic. Till Saturday, Karnataka reported 215 COVID-19 positive cases, including six deaths and 39 discharges.