Policemen leading BJP MLC C.T. Ravi out of a JMFC Court after taking him around Belagavi and neighbouring taluks in a police vehicle for a period of time after his arrest. BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra is seen.
| Photo Credit: P.K. BADIGER

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has made an allegation that the police conspired to kill BJP MLC C.T. Ravi in a fake encounter. Sadly, it does not befit his stature, Minister H.K. Patil said in Belagavi on Sunday.

“The incident that occurred in the Legislative Council is one that makes everyone hang their heads in shame. The police who arrested Mr. Ravi have explained why they took him to different locations. I won’t comment further on the matter,” he told reporters.

Asked about the police not registering a case against the supporters of Lakshmi Hebbalkar who allegedly made an attempt to attack Mr. Ravi, he replied, “I am not aware of this. The Home Minister will respond to it.”

Earlier in Hubballi, Mr. Joshi expressed suspicion over a conspiracy to eliminate Mr. Ravi in a fake police encounter.

He told reporters that Mr. Ravi was arrested immediately after a complaint was filed. “But instead of presenting him before court, they took him around Belagavi city and neighbouring taluks, with an intention of carrying out a fake encounter. Mr. Ravi was saved only because of the media who followed the police,” Mr. Joshi said.

The Belagavi Police did not allow Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok to meet Mr. Ravi in the Khanapur Police Station.

The Police Commissioner did not speak to Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.

Was that because Mr. Narayanaswamy is a Dalit? Mr. Joshi asked.

Srisailam temple Executive Officer M. Srinivasa Rao
| Photo Credit: U. SUBRAMANYAM

All kinds of non-Hindu religious activities are prohibited in the Srisailam temple town, the abode of Sri Bhramarambha Mallikarjuna Swamy Varla Devasthanam, in Nandyal district.

In a press release issued on Sunday, Srisailam temple Executive Officer M. Srinivasa Rao said non-Hindu religious activities and the display of symbols pertaining to other religions have been prohibited. Further, vehicles displaying symbols, teachings, or photos related to other religions will not be allowed.

Any violation will result in legal action as per the law, he said. The Executive Officer said participating in the promotion of other religions or related activities, directly or indirectly, is also punishable under the law.

Director General of Police Jitender has said the safety and security of citizens is of utmost importance and the promotion of films is not that important as the safety of citizens.

As far as actor Allu Arjun is concerned, we have nothing against any personality or individual, the DGP said in response to a specific query while addressing the media after inaugurating the Bharosa Centre of the Women Safety wing of the State Police in Karimnagar on Sunday.

Replying to another query on the recent stampede during the premiere of Pushpa-2 starring Allu Arjun at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad in which a woman was killed and her son hospitalised, the DGP said “Safety and security of citizens is of paramount significance for everyone. Something wrong has happened. Such incidents are not good for the safety of citizens,” he added.

Answering another question on the family dispute between veteran actor Mohan Babu and his son Manoj, he said “It is the matter within their family. We have put a binding over case against both of them so that they should not indulge in any activity that will affect public order. We will proceed as per law,” the DGP asserted.

Replying to a specific question, the DGP said, “Don’t say that Naxalism is not there in the State. Our border States are affected and there is a lot of movement in those States. The CPI (Maoist) Telangana State committee members are operating from Chhattisgarh.

“They (Maoists) had recently killed two people naming them as informers. Our teams conducted an area domination operation during which an exchange of fire took place,“ he said, referring to the death of seven Maoists in an ‘exchange of fire’ with the police in Mulugu district on December 1 this year.

The Bharosa Centre building has been constructed in Karimnagar with the support of the State Bank of India (SBI). The one-stop support centre for women and children is equipped with the requisite staff to extend medical, legal and counselling services for women and children in distress. There are 27 Bharosa centres in the State.

A woman making yarn on spinning wheel at ‘Khadi Mahotsav 2024’, organised by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission at Shilparamam in Tirupati on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: K.V. Poornachandra Kumar

The ‘Khadi Mahotsav 2024’, which began on Saturday (December 21) at Shilparamam in Tirupati expects to rake in the moolah as it has been timed with the year-end, when pilgrim footfall to the temple city will be high. The expo will conclude on December 29.

Organised by Khadi and Village Industries Commission, under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, the exhibition aims to provide an interface to artisans to connect directly with end consumers.

Craftsmen representing as many as 100 units from across the two Telugu States have arrived here to display their products, which include Khadi cotton and silk products; handicrafts; leather products; Kalamkari products; terracotta ware; Gadwal and Dharmavaram silk saris; Ponduru cotton garments; and Khadi Gramodyog products.

One interesting part of the expo is the demonstration of the eight processes entailed in making yarn from cotton, including steps such as cleaning, ginning, softening and combing. Women artisans deployed for the purpose explain the processes to visitors.

Several young entrepreneurs, who have taken the Khadi route to turn their ideas into products, have also arrived here to narrate their success stories to consumers.

The District Development Committee (DDC) has sanctioned ₹10.08 crore for five key projects under the Kasaragod Development Package.

The allocation is part of the ₹70 crore earmarked in the State budget for the 2024-25 financial year, with administrative approval now formally amended to include these projects. The meeting was chaired by District Collector K. Inbasekar on Saturday (December 21). 

Among the approved initiatives, ₹4.99 crore has been set aside for the construction of Udayapuram Thungal Road in Kottom Belur grama panchayat, and ₹2.56 crore allocated for establishing a veterinary hospital in Kanhangad Municipality. Other projects include the development of a smart anganwadi building in Muliyar grama panchayat, infrastructure enhancements at Karicheri GUP School in Pallikkara grama panchayat, and a drinking water supply scheme for Life Mission flats in Chattanchal.

Mr. Inbasekar highlighted that the ₹70 crore allocated for the 2024-25 financial year represents a significant milestone for Kasaragod. “The funding represents a pivotal moment in addressing critical infrastructure gaps and enhancing the quality of life for local communities,” he said.

The tendering process for these projects will commence shortly.

Police detaining Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha members as they try to gherao the Chief Minister in Kalaburagi on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The police foiled an attempt made by Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha members to intercept the Chief Minister’s convoy and gherao him in Kalaburagi on Sunday during his visit to inaugurate the 371-bed Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research.

KPRS members, led by its district president Sharanabasappa Mamshetty, sat on the road near Annapurna Cross to block the Chief Minister’s convoy. However, the official officials dragged and lifted them into buses and detained them.

The KPRS members planned a protest against the State government demanding the immediate release of compensation to the distressed farming community that suffered losses due to red gram crop damage this season.

The agitators said that red gram crop on around 2 lakh acres of the total 6,06,880 hectares under the crop in the district have been damaged.

Farmers suicide have been showing an increasing trend in the district and it is the responsibility of the State government to ensure that farmers in distress due to crop loss did not commit suicide, Mr. Mamshetty said.

Eight protestors who were detained and shifted to Farhatabad Police Station detained were later released.

नई दिल्ली: हैदराबाद में 4 दिसंबर को संध्या थियेटर में ‘पुष्पा 2’ की स्क्रीनिंग के दौरान भगदड़ मच गई थी, जिससे एक महिला की मौत हो गई थी. स्थानीय पुलिस ने 13 दिसंबर को सुपरस्टार अल्लू अर्जुन को उनके घर से गिरफ्तार किया था. तब मुख्यमंत्री रेवंत रेड्डी ने पुलिस की कार्रवाई का बचाव करते हुए अल्लू अर्जुन पर लापरवाही के आरोप लगाए थे. भगदड़ में महिला की मौत की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण घटना से आम लोग भौखलाए हुए हैं, जिसका अल्लू अर्जुन पर गहरा असर हुआ है. दरअसल, लोगों के एक समूह ने रविवार 22 दिसंबर को हैदराबाद के जुबली हिल्स में टॉलीवुड स्टार अल्लू अर्जुन के घर में घुसकर गमलों को नुकसान पहुंचाया और टमाटर फेंके.

बौखलाए लोगों ने संध्या थिएटर में हुए भगदड़ में महिला की मौत के लिए उन्हें जिम्मेदार ठहराया. अल्लू अर्जुन का विरोध कर रहे लोग खुद को उस्मानिया विश्वविद्यालय के छात्र बता रहे हैं. पुलिस ने घटना के बाद आठ लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया है. न्यूज18 इंग्लिश की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, गिरफ्तार हुए लोग उस्मानिया विश्वविद्यालय की संयुक्त कार्रवाई समिति (जेएसी) के सदस्य बताए जा रहे हैं. उन्हें जुबली हिल्स पुलिस स्टेशन ले जाया गया.

STORY | Vandalism at Allu Arjun’s residence in Hyderabad

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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, State Dy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha during the first convocation of Bihar Engineering University, in Patna.
| Photo Credit: ANI

To avoid any confusion in the ranks ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in Bihar, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and the State’s Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday (December 22, 2024) emphasised that the polls will be fought under Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar’s leadership.

He was responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent interview to a news channel in which he was asked if the NDA could go to the polls in Bihar without declaring a chief ministerial candidate, like it recently did with great success in Maharashtra. Mr. Shah had replied, after a pause, “We will sit together and decide. We will let you know after we have made a decision.” His response gave fodder to the Opposition in the State and triggered speculation that the BJP was finally throwing its hat in the ring for the top post.

Dismissing speculation, Mr. Choudhary said, “The NDA is working under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bihar, and we will continue to contest elections under the leadership of both leaders.” He reminded reporters that in 2020 too, the alliance had announced Mr. Kumar as their chief ministerial face. “In future also, we will contest elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi,” he added.

Elections to the 243-member Bihar Assembly are due in late 2025.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan greets former State Chief Secretary and writer K. Jayakumar during the first anniversary celebrations of the Kerala Administrative Service Officers Association in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: –

The Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) officers should be the stewards of the State’s wealth and promoters of its opportunities, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayn has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the KAS Day celebration and the first-anniversary meeting of the Kerala Administrative Service Officers Association here on Sunday.

The KAS officers were appointed in various departments to bring about progressive changes. The KAS is not a means to preside over the continuation of the old projects and schemes. On the contrary, the KAS officers are meant to break new ground for changes, he said. As the first batch of the KAS, the government has stood by the difficulties faced by the officials. The government has intervened to a large extent in the service problems faced by the officials, said the Chief Minister. He added that the government will immediately take measures to address the rest of the issues faced by them.

The process regarding the amendment of the special rulewill be completed expeditiously. Along with this, the government will also examine the possibility of providing periodic training to the KAS officers on the model of the All India Services. The KAS officials should try to turn insignificant departments into significant ones, said Mr. Vijayan while praising the interventions made by the officials in the meetings of the G20 summit and events like Keraleeyam and Navakerala Sadas.