To get some leads in the case, cops called the dog squad. Tara immediately rushed to the crime spot on August 7 and started searching for the evidence and clues. The crime had taken place about six hours ago.

Tara Sniffs It Out

Tara sniffed the crime spot and started running towards a direction that leads to a house of the 32-year-old suspect Shivayogish located in SOG colony in Sriramnagar, which is at a distance of eight km after crossing the canal.

Upon reaching the house, cops found that it was locked and the suspect’s neighbours told that he had gone out. Later, Shivayogish was taken into custody.

During the interrogation, Shivayogish confessed that he killed Narasimha. The police remanded him in judicial custody.

The Revelation

The police said that Shivayogi had hired Narasimha to do some work and had given him Rs 35,000 in advance. However, Narasimha couldn’t come to do the work. Because of this, Shivayogi went to the Vidyanagar Police Station and filed a cheating case against Narasimha. Narasimha was put in jail because of what he did.

Shivayogi was afraid that Narasimha might harm him because they had problems with each other. So, on August 6 at 10:30 am, on the Bapuji Layout service road at Mallashettihalli, Shivayogi hit Narasimha on his head and ears with a weapon and then ran away from there.

Davangere Superintendent of Police Arun K has congratulated the team involved in the investigation, including dog handler police constables Praveen Antarvalli and police head constable K M Prakash.

Tara The Super Cop

Speaking about Tara, she has assisted the police in 14 cases, providing significant breakthroughs in two theft cases and one murder case. Tara is a well-trained dog with a remarkable sniffing capability, enabling her to uncover leads and evidence that help the police solve cases.

The arrested have been identified as Avinash (26), Sandeep (20) of Dharmasthala and Akshath (22) of Uppinangady. All the three have been produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody, police sources said, adding search is on for one more accused in the case, news agency PTI reported.

Giving details, police said the incident took place on August 2 at around 9 PM when the victim, 22-year-old Mohammed Ashique, had dropped a girl from another faith at the bus stand. The girl, studying at a private college at Ujire, had called the auto rickshaw to go to the nearby stand.

The driver was attacked and threatened by four men when he was returning after dropping the girl. He later got admitted to Belthangady government hospital and lodged a complaint with the police.

#Karnataka: Mohammed Ashiq an autorickshaw driver was assaulted in Karnataka's #Dharmasthala on the night of Aug 2, when he was returning after dropping a Hindu woman passenger to KSRTC bus stop.

In his complaint Ashiq said the woman had hired his autorickshaw to travel from… pic.twitter.com/F4M5O9b0Ux

— Saba Khan (@ItsKhan_Saba) August 3, 2023

Bus driver forbids girl students from boarding unless they wear burqa

Meanwhile, in a related incident, last month a bus driver in Karnataka’s Kalaburagi district, allegedly disallowed school girl from boarding the vehicle as they were not wearing burqas. Videos of the incident went viral on social media platforms and sparked a row over forcing religious diktats upon children.

As per reports at the time, the children were making their daily commute from Okali village in Kamalapur taluk to Basavakalyan when the bus drivers forbade the girl students from boarding the bus unless they put on burqas.

The driver allegedly told the students that a burqa is the only appropriate covering for Muslim girls and even students who were wearing hijabs were deboarded.

“Wear a burqa, not a hijab. It’s the appropriate dress for Muslim women. Only then will I allow you to board the bus,” the driver allegedly told one of the students, according to an Op-India report.

Kalaburagi (Karnataka) : A bus driver allegedly refused to allow schoolgirls to board the vehicle unless they were in burqa. The incident occurred when the students were on their way to Basavakalyan from Okali village in Kamalapur taluk for their daily commute to school.… pic.twitter.com/ahEYb74EXy

— Upendrra Rai (@UpendrraRai) July 27, 2023

“If you’re a Muslim, wear a burqa, not a hijab. Only then will we allow you to board the bus,” the driver said.

Quoting a student on the condition of anonymity, the report claimed that the driver demanded the girls wear a burqa and questioned their faith.

This Bus Driver from Kalaburagi, Karnataka stopped muslim girl students from boarding the bus because they were wearing Hijab and not Burqa.

Liberals said, "Burqa is a choice" but they never specified, "Whose Choice???" 🫡🫡 pic.twitter.com/yz4dtVBksq

— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) July 28, 2023

Questioned about the incident by other commuters, the driver claimed that his bus (KA 38 F1074) had broken down and the students had become a nuisance

(With PTI inputs)

An officer of the Kerala police said that the four Karnataka cops had travelled to the state’s Kochi district to arrest two suspects accused in a cheating case. However, upon apprehending the two accused, the Karnataka police officials allegedly demanded money from them to set the free, India Today reported.

As per the report, the fiancé of the suspects filed a complaint with the local police, claiming that the Karnataka policemen had tried to extort money from her fiancé. Based on her complaint, the Kerala police detained the four Karnataka police personnel and booked them for extortion.

Giving details, the Kerala police said that on August 1, the Karnataka cops arrived in Kochi district to arrest two suspects, identified as Akhil and Nikhil, wanted in an online cryptocurrency scam case registered in Karnataka. However, after arresting the two accused men, the Karnataka policemen allegedly demanded Rs 25 lakh from each of them to set them free, the report said.

The suspects did not have that kind of money and one of the accused was reportedly able to pay Rs 1 lakh while another paid Rs 2.95 lakh to the Karnataka cops, who kept demanding more. The distraught men then reported the situation to the Kerala Police as the fiancé of one of the suspects filed a formal complaint.

Following the complaint, the Kerala Police swung into action, detained their erring counterparts from Karnataka, and also allegedly recovered Rs 3.95 lakh from their vehicle.

Consequently, the Kerala police took action, detained the Karnataka Police officials, and recovered Rs 3.95 lakh from their vehicle, the report said.

A Kerala police official said that a case has been registered against the detained Karnataka policemen and further investigation into the matter is ongoing, adding that a senior officer of the Karnataka Police has arrived in Kochi to probe the incident.

Further investigation in the case is underway and a senior officer from the Karnataka Police has reached Kochi to look into the matter.

According to the order, vehicles falling under six categories such as two-wheelers, non-motorised vehicles, three-wheelers, tractors, multi-axle hydraulic trailer vehicles, and quadri-cycles, have been barred entry on the expressway to ensure the safety of commuters. Those caught violating the order will have to pay a fine of Rs 500, it said.

The order has been imposed in accordance with rules set by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the central body had deployed its sleuths on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to oversee the implementation of the diktat.

“The ban has been imposed to avoid traffic congestion and ensure the safety of the motorists travelling on the expressway,” the order said.

NHAI, Karnataka Police manning the expressway

As per reports, NHAI and Karnataka Police personnel manned the all the highway’s entry and exit points on Tuesday to prevent the aforementioned class of vehicles from plying.

ADGP Alok Kumar said the Karnataka Police is assisting NHAI in the implementation of the ban order.

“We are diverting bikers, auto-rickshaws and tractors from the carriageway to the service road. We are focusing on the compliance of the ban order by guiding them and persuading them rather than booking cases for violation,” Kumar said, according to an India Today report.

The order comes amid numerous reports of traffic violations on the expressway by two-wheelers and auto rickshaws. The Karnataka government has ordered a safety audit of the highway after over 50 accident-related deaths were recorded since the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway was thrown open on March 12 this year after its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

‘Accident den’

In June this year, citing a report compiled by ADGP Alok Kumar, an Indian Express report revealed that 132 people had lost their lives in around 296 accidents on the hectic expressway since January 2023.

The sheer number of fatalities have earned the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway the dubious nickname of “accident den” and made it infamous for reckless driving amid claims of engineering defects being raised from certain quarters.

According to the report, Kumar had asked superintendents of police (SPs) Ramanagara, Mandya, and Mysore districts to submit a detailed report in this regard and as per the officers’ findings, Ramanagara accounted for 63 deaths, Mandya recorded 65, while Mysore reported the lowest with only four deaths between January and June 2023.

The maintenance activities of most of these projects will be carried out between 10 AM and 5 PM, leading to power interruptions lasting for approximately seven hours.

Check The List of Areas That Will be Affected Till August 2

Areas to be affected on August 1, 2

Singenahalli, Kanivehalli, Kenchapura, Devarahosalli, R D Kaval, Bukkapatna, Hosahalli, Hunasekatte, Yaradakatte, Neralagudda, Ramalingapura, Salapura, Balapura, Madenahalli, Ranganathapura, Nimbemaradalli, S Ranganahalli, Huildore, Singenahalli, Giddanahalli, Sakshihalli, Tuppadakoana, Karemadanahalli, Mannamma Temple, Sakshihalli, Tuppadakoana, Karemadanahalli, Kurubarahalli, Murudeshwara Ceramic Factory, Janakal, Kilaradahalli, Thanda, Ramanahalli.

Areas to be affected on August 3

Neralkere GP, Kainodyu GP, Srirampura GP, Talya, Hulikere, Kuminaghatta, Venkateshapura, Malasinganahalli, Ghatihosalli, Singenahalli, Kanivehalli, Kenchapura, Devarahosalli, R D Kaval, Bukkapatna, Hosahalli, Hunasekatte, Yaradakatte, Neralagudda, Ramalingapura, Salapura, Balapura, Madenahalli, Bukkapatna, Ranganathapura, Nimbemaradalli, S Ranganahalli, Huildore, Kambadahalli, Giddanahalli, Sakshihalli, Tuppadakoana, Karemadanahalli, Mannamma Temple, Sakshihalli, Tuppadakoana, Karemadanahalli, Murudeshwara Ceramic Factory, Janakal Pura.

Madenahalli, Kilaradahalli, Thanda, Ramanahalli, Nalkudure, Doddaghatta, Kathalagere, Kariganur, Belalgere, Thyavanige, Harehalli, Navilehal, and related villages, Bidaragadde, Govinakovi, Thakkanahali, Holemadapura, Kammaragatte, Chilur, Malali, Gopagondanahalli, Kuruva, Kengatte , Gadekatte, Govinakovi, C Kadadakatte and related villages, Honnali, Gollarahalli, Balleshwara, Arakere, Hiregonigere, Hanumasagara, Marikoppa, Soraturu, Kattuge, Arundi, Teertharamwswara, Kunduru, Koolambi, Timlapura, Yakkanahalli, Mukthenahalli, Hanumanahalli.

Neralgundi, Nyamathi, Kodikoppa, Vaderahatturu, Kunkuva, Salbalu, Madhanabavi, Bijogatte and related villages, Channnenahalli, Kyasinakere, Lingapura, Rampura, Hotyaapura, Benakanahalli, Herebasur, Kulaghatte, Sasuvehalli and related villages, Savalanga, Kodtalu, Chinnikatte, Ganjinahalli, Madapura, Mussenalu, Jayanagara, Machegondanahalli and Kyathinkoppa.

After the video went viral, the girl student ended her life at her house on Friday morning. Upon learning about the girl’s death, the boy also killed himself on Friday night.

Following these tragic incidents, both students’ families filed separate complaints with the police, seeking accountability for filming the video without their consent and its dissemination.

Davanagere’s superintendent of police, K Arun, stated that a team is investigating the case and trying to identify the accused.

“With regards to the suicide of both the girl and the boy, a complaint has been given by both their parents separately. Enquiry is being conducted,” he said.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

This suicide incident follows closely after the recent controversy in Udupi district, Karnataka, where three students were suspended from a private paramedical college. The suspension was due to their alleged act of filming another student while she was in a college washroom.

On July 11, a 22-year-old engineering student killed self at his residence in Bengaluru after allegedly being continuously harassed by recovery agents for failing to pay back money he had borrowed from three instant loan apps.

Thejas Nair was a resident of HMT Staff Quarters in Jalahalli. He was a sixth-semester mechanical engineering student and was pursuing his degree from a private college near Yelahanka. It is suspected that he had borrowed approximately Rs 46,000 form the instant loan apps. Incident came to light when Thejas’s father returned home and found him in unconscious. He rushed Thejas to hospital but he was declared dead by doctors on arrival. Nair left home to drop his daughter and Thejas’s sister to a nearby tuition centre.

Police stated that Thejas left behind a suicide note that explains that his decision was driven by his inability to repay the loans.

“I am sorry mom and dad for whatever I did. I have no other choice than this. I am unable to pay other loans that are there in my name and this is my final decision. Good Bye,” Thjeas wrote in the note. Police are currently investigating the matter.

Tejas had taken a loan of Rs 40,000 for his friend Mahesh a year ago from a loan app. He was unable to repay the loan and the EMIs, and the loan app company began to pressure him to repay the loan. They allegedly harassed him, demanding repayment.

Loan Harassment Leading to Suicides

The harassment from the loan app company became too much for Tejas to bear, and he ultimately took his own life. His death is a tragic reminder of the dangers of loan apps and the importance of financial literacy.

In his suicide note, he wrote: “Father and mother please pardon me. There is no way out for me. I am not able to repay the loans and decided to end my life. Thanks, good bye.”

Jalahalli police have taken up the investigation. Karnataka Police had arrested a girl student and two of her friends on charges of attempting to snatch a gold chain to pay up a loan amount of Rs 5,000 in Bengaluru. The accused confessed that she resorted to the crime as she was not able to take the torture from a loan app asking her to repay the pending amount.

Students Turning To Crime

The accused had invested Rs 15,000 on an online trading app. They made profits initially and later suffered losses. They got a Rs 15,000 loan from a loan app for investing in online trade. They had returned Rs 10,000 and took to crime to return the remaining Rs 5,000.

The girl, in the garb of as an NGO member, tried to snatch the gold chain of an aged lady in the pretext of giving a pamphlet. When the aged lady screamed for help, she ran away from the spot. After the police nabbed her, the elderly lady listening to their story decided to take back her complaint.

Chinese Nationals Run Racket Busted

Karnataka Police busted a racket run by Chinese nationals involved in lending out loans for exorbitant interests and harassing and humiliating customers in violation of laws in Bengaluru. The investigation revealed that these Chinese nationals opened bank accounts in the name of Indians and carried out fraudulent transactions and transferred crores of money to China.

The probe revealed 52 companies were registered and bank accounts were opened in private banks. The interest paid by borrowers was credited to those account numbers.

As per preliminary investigation, crores of rupees have been sent to China through online transfers from these accounts. The Chinese nationals collected documents such as Aadhaar and PAN cards from the staff and had registered 5-6 companies in their names.

Fraud Mostly Run by Chinese Companies

These are a few stories involving loan app fraud mostly run by Chinese companies. The police sources say that though they are trying to deal with the loan apps who violate laws and exploit customers through the Karnataka Money Lenders Act, IT Act, Karnataka Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Act, the decisive action should come jointly from state and the Central government.

The Karnataka Legislature had discussed about the menace of loan apps in the state in detail in the recently concluded session. The Congress government had also announced that the action will be initiated against 42 loan apps indulged in torturing people.

BJP MLC D.S. Arun had raised the issue in the Council and stated that online gaming, online loan apps are torturing people. In particular, the gaming applications and online loan apps are destroying the lives of youths and students. He raised a concern on celebrities promoting such apps and stated that this will encourage the youth to indulge in gambling.

Karnataka Health Minister Raises Concerns

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao had stated that the problem was being discussed with the Central government and  Google. Already 42 such apps have been removed from the Android Play Store.

Many steps have been initiated against such apps. Since the Union government is controlling and monitoring the apps, it is not possible for the state government alone to take action. The matter will be discussed with the Centre by the state government, he added.

Retired ACP and politician, Lokeshwara told IANS that nowhere in Karnataka he had seen local police taking serious note of such cases and serious efforts are put into track the people involved in the loan app fraud.

“Monitoring should be done at the bottom level and chain link schemes, apps must be monitored in the jurisdiction of the police stations. The complaints in this regard are piling up with the cyber crime police and they can’t do much about it as resources are limited. The accused sit in an unknown location and manage everything on the phone. They won’t be tracked. The jurisdictional police have the power to deal with such cases and they have to be given focus and responsibility in this regard,” he said.

Lokeshwara further stated that the Hyderabad police are well equipped and provided with the necessary technical support by the government. “They are chasing well and they got a very good team and made significant arrests in this regard. Likewise, in Karnataka as well, the fraudulent loan apps could be reined in.”

(With IANS Inputs)

A source familiar with the development told newindianexpress.com that the airline staff felt the governor was “too late” to be permitted inside the aircraft, while multiple sources denied any delay on his part. Gehlot left for Hyderabad by another AirAsia India flight after 90 minutes.

As soon as the AirAsia India flight I5972 arrived, Gehlot’s luggage was loaded in it. However, there was said to be a delay in Gehlot reaching the terminal, the sources told PTI. By the time he could reach from the VIP lounge to take the flight, the plane took off for Hyderabad to reach Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 2.05 pm.

The protocol officers of the Governor have lodged a complaint at the Airport police station, a police officer told PTI requesting anonymity. Meanwhile, AirAsia has launched an investigation on the issue.  The airlines said that it sincerely regrets the incident and will take appropriate action after a thorough investigation.

Air Asia issues statement

“We sincerely regret the incident. An investigation is being conducted and appropriate action will be taken. The senior leadership team of the airline is in contact with the Governor’s Office to address the concerns,” AirAsia was quoted as saying in a statement by NDTV.

“Our commitment to the highest standards of professionalism and adherence to protocol remains unwavering, and we deeply value our relationship with the Governor’s Office.” the airlines said.

The bike is seen making a sudden U-turn on the road as the car approaches and hits the bike and two college girls. It can be seen that the car did not have time to react and avoid the bike that made the U-turn. The video also showed people from the nearby shops rushing towards the girl students. However, the car fled away from the scene.

ರಾಯಚೂರಿನ ರೈಲ್ವೆ ಸ್ಟೇಷನ್ ರಸ್ತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರು ಹಾಯ್ದ ರಭಸಕ್ಕೆ ಇಬ್ಬರು ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿನಿಯರು ಹಾರಿ ಬಿದ್ದ ದೃಶ್ಯ#raichur pic.twitter.com/9BrsoFevc3

— Prajavani (@prajavani) July 26, 2023

The harrowing video has since been shared widely across social media platforms, evoking a strong reaction from the public on road safety and adherence to traffic rules. A case has been registered at the Raichur traffic police station.

Currently, the biker is undergoing treatment at Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).  Reportedly, the students have sustained minor injuries.

Police seized the car and have launched an investigation into the case.

The incident is reported from Bhanapur village, Kukanur taluk in the Koppal district of Karnataka where Swamiji of Hindu Samaj inaugurated the newly constructed Itagi Masjid in the Kolipet town on Monday.

The gesture has drawn much applause from across regions and different groups and communities from India as well as abroad.

Basavalinga Shivacharya Swamiji of Sridhar Murudi Math, Yalaburga, and Mahadevaya Swamiji of Annadaneshwar Shakhamath, Kukanur inaugurated the mosque. Later, the leaders of the Hindu community performed foot puja for Swamiji, while the leaders of the Muslim community helped him by giving him water, aarti, and bilvapatra, to wash his feet.

“Our behaviors should be a model for the younger generation. We all have to live like that. Only then can peace and tranquility be established in the society,” said Basavalinga Shivacharya Swamiji.

Mahadevaiah Swamiji said, “In rural areas, Hindus and Muslims develop a sense of harmony and celebrate all festivals peacefully. This is our pride.”

“Muslim society wants peace and harmony. We are all like brothers in Kukanur. So we invited Swamiji to inaugurate the mosque,” said Muhammad Ali, the leader of the Muslim community.

Other prominent members of both communities who were present on the occasion included the leaders of Jamia Masjid Muhammad Ali, Fakirappa Chandur, Basavaraja Arya, Moulasab Makkandara, Hussainab Chokali, Dudapir Saab Alisab, Noor Ahmad Koppala, Ramanna Mandhalamani, Rafisab Chokali, Moulasab, Shivappa Sandimani, Sharanappa Chandur, and Mallappa Valmiki.

Why Food Prices Will be Increased in Bengaluru?

Giving details, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hoteliers Association (BBHA) said while the prices of food items in hotels and restaurants are usually increased every year in April, however, the association this year did not do the same.

“We waited as there were elections and many other things going on. But now, we have formally decided to increase the rates as prices of all ingredients have shot up,” PC Rao, president of BBHA, was quoted as saying by The HIndu.

PC Rao further added that the hostels which have already increased their prices will not be hiking it again and the 10% increase will come into effect at those hotels which have not increased the prices this year.

BBHA President PC Rao further added that as the prices of all commodities have increased, the hotels in Bengaluru decided to increase the food prices by at least 10%.

The development comes as the prices of tomatoes, chillies and other vegetables increased recently and this forced the hotels to take such decision. The hotel owners within BBHA had earlier told The Hindu that a decision regarding the food price hike would be made after the revision of milk prices and they made the price hike after it was announced last week that Nandini milk is likely to get dearer by Rs 3 per litre.

Vegetable Price Hike in India

Earlier this month, the country witnessed a massive hike in vegetable prices across cities. As per a report by the Times of India, vegetable prices in Patna increased significantly since the beginning of May. The cauliflower price was Rs 60 per kg, up from Rs 40 per kg in early May. In the similar manner, price of cabbage went up to Rs 60/kg from Rs 30-40/kg mark. Moreover, the price of potato and onion also increased from Rs 20/kg in early May to Rs 30/kg in July.

Apart from Patna, several other cities also witnessed hike in vegetable prices. News agency PTI reported that vegetable prices in West Bengal went up by 30-35%. Earlier this month, tomato was being sold in the range of Rs 130-150/kg and green chillies between Rs 300-350/kg.

In Odisha, the vegetable prices also went up sharply – while tomato was selling for around Rs 140-160/kg, green chilly was being sold at Rs 200/kg and ginger for Rs 300/kg.

According to news agency ANI, tomato prices in Delhi’s Safal store had crossed Rs 129 per kg. In the similar manner, tomato prices in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad went up to Rs 150/kg.

According to reports, three girls, identified as— Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz and Aliya—had allegedly placed mobile phone cameras in the women’s washrooms in a bid film other girls using toilets or taking a shower, India Today reported.

The incident triggered protests by students at the institute as they demanded strict action against the accused for violating their privacy. The three accused students were later suspended by management for bringing mobile phones to college and used the devices to film another student in the washroom.

Meanwhile, as the news vent viral on social media networks, some users have drawn parallels with the infamous 1992 Ajmer sex scandal. A notorious incident in the early 1990s where hundreds of school and college girls were allegedly gangraped by men belonging to the minority community after purportedly blackmailing them with nude photos.

In a series of tweets, Rashmi Samant, a human rights worker, drew parallels between the Udipi case and the Ajmer scandal. She claimed that “unsuspecting” girls were blackmailed with naked photographs were disturbed and pushed towards ending their lives.

I'm from Udupi and nobody is talking about Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz and Aliya who placed cameras in female toilets of their college to record hundreds of unsuspecting Hindu girls. Videos and phots that were then circulated in community WhatsApp groups by the perpetrators.

— Rashmi Samant (@RashmiDVS) July 23, 2023

Samant cooked up a conspiracy theory, alleging that such voyeuristic photos and videos shared in WhatsApp Groups in order to blackmail the unwary girls, adding that the issue does not receive enough condemnation and isn’t viewed “with the severity it deserved”.

Let me tell you, many of the girls who were featured in the videos are depressed and disturbed to the extent that they are contemplating self-harm/suicide. Yet, this issue is not being condemned with the severity it deserves.

— Rashmi Samant (@RashmiDVS) July 23, 2023

Other users also chimed in on the alleged conspiracy, terming the Udupi case as ‘Ajmer 1992 Part 2’ and ‘Udupi Files’.

Some users on the other hand simply called it a case of bad behaviour and bullying by some students who were then appropriately suspended by the college management for their transgressions.

1992 Ajmer sex scandal

The Ajmer scandal came to light in 1992, exposing a series of systemic blackmail and gang-rape of hundreds of teenage school and college girls. The sickening sex scandal which shook society to the core in the early 1990s, reportedly took place over a couple of years.

The modus operandi of the perpetrators revealed how they filmed and clicked unsuspicious victims in their most private moments and later shared these obscene films and pictures to local gangsters, most of them from the minority community. The criminals then used these photos and videos as leverage to blackmail and rape the victims.

As per media reports at the time, a man with alleged links to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah had befriended a college girl and secretly filmed her private moments. This vile act started a vicious cycle of blackmail and rape which led to the exploitation of hundreds of teen girls.

The scandal came to light after it was first reportd by a Jaipur-based Hindi newspaper ‘Dainik Navjyoti’. The report revealed that Farooq and Nafis Chishty, who belong to the influential Khadim family, responsible for overlooking the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, allegedly ran a network of young men who used to trap and blackmail young women and later gang-raped them at a private farmhouse.

As per investigations, the vicious cycle of sexual violence started when Farooq Chishty befriended a schoolgirl from Ajmer’s Sophia Senior Secondary School in Ajmer. Chisty took obscene pictures of the girl and used these to blackmail her into introducing her to other girls at her school.

The girls were often lured to the farmhouse where they were sexually violated by the Chistys and their gang. The violators also shot obscene videos and photos of at least 250 young girls, aged between 11 and 20.

Heavy rains have been lashing parts of coastal Karnataka for the past few days, and the Indian Meteorological Department has extended the orange alert in the region till today. This means that there is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Udupi.

The MeT department has also warned about the possibility of flooding and landslides in these districts. People living in low-lying areas and near rivers and streams have been advised to be cautious and stay away from water bodies.

The met department has also alerted the people and asked them to stay indoors during the rain to avoid any accidents.

Heavy Rains Lash Kodagu district:

• The orange alert means that there is a possibility of heavy to very heavy rain in Kodagu district.
• The district has already received over 200 mm of rain in the past few days.
• There have been reports of flooding and landslides in some areas.
• The DC has urged people to stay safe and follow the instructions of the authorities.
• People can report any damage to property or infrastructure to the district administration.

The rains are expected to continue for the next 24 hours, after which the intensity is likely to reduce. However, the MeT department has warned that there is still a chance of heavy rain in the region.

Karnataka Rains: Here Are Some Of The Key Updates

• Heavy rains continue to lash parts of coastal Karnataka region and they are likely to continue for next 24 hours.
• IMD has extended the orange alert in the coastal region of the state till today
• The weather department has warned about the chances of heavy to very heavy rainfall.
• Karnataka government announced a holiday on Monday to all schools, pre universities and colleges in Udupi, Kodagu and Dharwad districts.
• The met department has alerted the people and asked them to stay indoors during the rain to avoid any accidents.
• The state met department has also issued a yellow alert to Belagavi, Yadgir, Dharwad and Bidar districts.
• It predicted moderate to heavy rainfall in these districts.
• North Karnataka too continues to face heavy rains
• Many bridges are waterlogged due to flooding in the region.
• 16 low-height bridges in the region have been submerged, preventing public movement since Friday.
• To ensure safety and prevent any disasters, the police department has blocked public and animal movement on the bridges.

Notably, a red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours, while an orange alert means very heavy rains from 6 cm to 20 cm of rain. A yellow alert means heavy rainfall between 6 and 11 cm.

Athira Purushothaman took to her Twitter handle to share the incident, stating that she had gone to attend the Manipur violence protest at Town Hall Bangalore and booked a Rapido auto to go home from the venue. After facing multiple cancellations from drivers, she decided to take a bike from the app-based ride-hailing platform.

Accused Driver Arrived On The Different Bike

The woman stated that the driver arrived on a different bike and told her that the registered one has gone for servicing.

“Surprisingly, the driver arrived on a different bike, explaining that the one registered with @rapidobikeapp was under servicing. I confirmed my booking through his app and proceeded with the ride,” she tweeted.

I asked him to drop me 200 meters before my actual destination to conceal my home location. Once the ride was over, he started relentlessly calling and messaging me on WhatsApp. I had to block his number to stop the harassment.

— Athira Purushothaman (@Aadhi_02) July 21, 2023

An isolated place and ‘inappropriate behaviour’

The woman stated that they reached an isolated area with ‘no other vehicles around’. At this point the driver was engaged in ‘inappropriate behaviour’ while she started fearing for her safety.

“During the journey, we reached a remote area with no other vehicles around. Shockingly, the driver began riding with one hand and engaging in inappropriate behaviour (Masturbating while riding the bike). Fearing for my safety, I remained silent throughout the ordeal,” she explained in the tweet.

To avoid further problems, Athira decided to get down from the bike 200 metres before the destination.

Thread #SexualHarassement
Today, I went for the Manipur Violence protest at Town Hall Bangalore and booked a @rapidobikeapp auto for my way back home. However, multiple auto cancellations led me to opt for a bike instead. pic.twitter.com/bQkw4i7NvO

— Athira Purushothaman (@Aadhi_02) July 21, 2023

The Driver Harassed The Woman On Whatsapp

“Once the ride was over, he started relentlessly calling and messaging me on WhatsApp. I had to block his number to stop the harassment,” she said.

Purushothaman also shared a screenshot of her chat with the Rapido driver. In the screenshot the heart and kissing emojis can be seen by the driver’s phone number. He also said the woman “loves you”, in the chat.

The Woman Questioned Rapido’s Safety Measure

Furious over the incident, Athira questioned Rapido’s safety measures and added that the person kept on calling her from several numbers.

“@rapidobikeapp, what measures are you taking for background verification? Your users’ safety should be a top priority. Please ensure that people registered with your service can be trusted for a safe travel experience. He keeps calling me from different numbers even now!” she tweeted.

Taking note of the bizarre incident on July 22, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South-East Division, Bengaluru City Police, CK Baba informed on Twitter that they have arrested the “real sicko on wheels”.

“BCP won’t stand for such indecent antics! A Criminal case is lodged at E’ City PS on a guy who was pretending to be rapido bike rider! We’re swifter. Keep it clean or face the full force of the law!  #SafeCity,” he tweeted.

An FIR has been registered against the accused in Electronic City PS and further investigation is underway.

Her Instagram account (@trintrin) has follower base of 237k and14K subscribers on her YouTube channel ‘The Trinetra Method’ with a combined viewership of 250,000. Recently, she documented the journey of her medical, legal and social transition on Instagram and YouTube.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Trinetra (@trintrin)

A Voice For The Voiceless

Initially, she started it as a personal space where she dealt with her thoughts and emotions, later, she turned it into a space for activism and community engagement.

“To have people that relate to you, and understand your journey meant everything. That’s so important for a queer person because many a time your family doesn’t accept you. That’s what got me into content creation and it’s what keeps me going,” Trinetra once said in an interview to Forbes India.

Born as Angad Gummaraju to Bengaluru-based parents, Trinetra underwent a gender confirmation surgery (GCS) abroad in February 2020.

After struggling with bullies and rejection all alone, she has now created a platform for the voiceless and queer community to be themselves and deal with social issues.

From Medicine to Acting: Trinetra’s Next Journey

Trinetra is now all set for her new innings in film industry with Amazon Prime Video India’s ‘Made In Heaven Season 2’, which will release this year.

Talking in detail about how she landed in film, Trinetra said she auditioned for ‘Made In Heaven 2’ at the start of her internship in the hospital and then gave it a shot because she believed there is had nothing to lose.

Her on-screen role in the film will revolve around the narrative of transphobia and will establish a milestone moment for the Indian trans community as Trinetra will be the first trans artist to play the crucial role.

Role in ‘Made In Heaven 2’

Talking about her role in the film, Trinetra said she plays the role of a wedding planner who heads production at the wedding company ‘Made In Heaven’, producing and organising the most elite, large scale weddings in the bustling city of Delhi.

Even as she is wonderful at her job, she struggles with acceptance as a trans woman, especially in attempts at finding true love. She says through this character, she wants people to see that trans women are women, and deserve every right to be treated with dignity.

In the first CCTV visual at 4:14 pm on July 11, the three accused were caught on cam running out from the Aeronics office. Accused Santosh and Vinay Reddy were first seen exiting the office gate followed by the main accused ‘Joker’ Felix. They are all former employee of Aeronic Media. They can be seen opening the door in a narrow lane and then running towards the road after committing the crime.

In the second visual, the three accused are seen walking on the road, with Santhosh helping Vinay Reddy to walk by because he seems to be limping and struggling to walk.

Reportedly, after committing the crime, the accused booked an OLA cab and left to Majestic railway station. According to the FIR, the three accused first attacked Aironics MD 36-year-old Phanindra Subramanya and later CEO 40-year-old Vinu Kumar with sharp weapons and killed them.

WATCH: Bengaluru Double Murder CCTV Footage

VIDEO | Bengaluru double-murder: CCTV footage shows two of the accused, who allegedly killed a managing director and a chief executive officer of a company, fleeing spot after committing the crime.

(Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/scntpM5dRP

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 13, 2023

After committing the act, Joker Felix posted the following status on Instagram, “This planet peoples always flatters and cheaters. So I hurt this planet peoples. I only hurt bad peoples. I never hurt any good people.”

The deceased were identified as Paneendra Subramanya, the Managing Director (MD) and Vinu Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aeronic Media Private Limited. The firm is an Internet Service Provider.

The motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained but police suspect that business rivalry was the reason for the brutal crime. Felix was a former employee of the firm who had started his own venture after resigning recently. He had quit to form his own company, which is said to be a rival business.

The rival company was suffering losses due to Aeronics Media, which could have allegedly forced Arun Kumar to eliminate Kumar and Subramanya, a senior police official told PTI.

Police said more details will follow after a thorough investigation.

As part of the rollout, two Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) in the city are also set for major infrastructure and software upgrades, resulting in the application process being reduced by half from what now takes about four to five working days, according to a report in TOI.

The government announced the concept of e-passports last year but last month the external affairs minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed that e-passports will start rolling out by the end of this year. Jaishankar said that with e-passports, the government of India aims to improve “citizen experience and public delivery”.

What is an e-passport?

While e-passports will do the same work as a normal physical passport, they will come with a small electronic chip inside, somewhat similar to the driver’s license. The chip used inside the passport will store all crucial details of the passport holder. This information includes — name, date of birth, address, and other things.

How to Apply for an e-Passport?

1. Go to the Passport Seva website and click on “Register Now” or log in with your existing ID.
2. Click on “Apply for Fresh Passport” or “Re-issue of Passport”.
3. Provide all the details and hit “Submit”.
4. Click on “Pay and Schedule Appointment” to make payment.
5. Upon completing this process, print the receipt or show the acknowledgement SMS at PSK/POPSK/PO.

How Do Chip Based e-Passports Work?

An e-Passport works on the potential of the embedded rectangular antenna type electronic chip of 64-kilobyte storage.

Its inlay will comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards to work seamlessly across the world. It is designed in a way to prevent data access from any remote source. Presently, e-Passport is in use in around 120 countries worldwide.

Countries including Ireland, Zimbabwe, Malawai, India’s neighbours Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, among others have rolled out e-passports, states data issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Lakshmi Prasad, DCP North East, Bengaluru, said the attacker, identified as Felix, is on the run. Notably, the accused had a similar business and the now-murdered men were interfering in his business.

The con-man, Mahesh Nayak, from Bengaluru, deceived over 15 women by promising marriage but was exposed due to his poor English speaking skills. He married 15 women and fathered four children with them.

Nayak, a resident of Banashankari in Bengaluru, married at least 15 women since 2014 and absconded with their money and jewellery, as reported by TOI.

How The Accused Was Arrested

The 35-year-old was apprehended after a software engineer from Mysuru, who had previously married Nayak, filed a complaint against him. Another woman who had been deceived by Nayak also approached the police and filed a complaint.

A team was formed by the police to apprehend Mahesh Nayak, and he was arrested in Tumakuru.

According to TOI, Mahesh created a fake matrimonial profile on an online site to deceive women. On the matrimonial site, he posed as an engineer or doctor to attract more victims.

Mahesh even set up a fake clinic in Tumakuru and hired a nurse to support his claim of being a doctor.

While many women fell into his trap, some became suspicious due to his poor English speaking skills.

According to the police, Mahesh married 15 women and has four children with them. He had limited interactions with his wives, and many of them were highly educated professionals.

Police revealed that the fraudulent individual married 15 women, who were well-educated professionals.

TOI also reported that although most victims became aware of the deception, they hesitated to file complaints out of fear of embarrassment.

According to the police, a labourer, identified as Gajnana, was set on fire by the shop owner over a minor dispute and then tried to feign it as an electrocution.

Based on evidence and after questioning local residents in the area, the Mangaluru South police arrested the accused on Saturday, city police commissioner Kuldeep Kumar R Jain said, according to news agency PTI.

The senior officer said the accused allegedly killed Gajnana over a minor dispute by setting him on fire and then tried to cover up the crime by informing people in the area that Ganjana had received an electric shock and had been rushed to a local hospital for treatment where doctors declared him brought dead.

He said that preliminary investigation confirmed that Ganjana had been burned to death by the accused, who was later arrested, adding that a case of murder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered in this regard and further investigation is underway.

15-yr-old burned alive in Andhra Pradesh

In a similar incident, last month, a 15-year-old boy was burned alive in Andhra Pradesh’s Bapatla district. The accused had allegedly been harassing the victim’s sister, NDTV reported.

According to the report, the victim, identified as 15-year-old Amarnath, said three people, including a man called “Venky” doused him with petrol and set him on fire. The class 10 student later died at a hospital.

The victim’s family has alleged that the prime accused, 21-year-old Venkateshwar, had been harassing Amarnath’s sister and the boy had confronted him sand told him to stop.

Police said a case of murder has been filed in connection with the 15-year-old teen’s death and another case under the POCSO has been registered as the victim’s sister, who was reportedly harassed by the accused, is a minor.

Venkateshwar was detained by the police, an officer said, adding that further investigation is underway.

(With PTI inputs)