Acid attack in bus: 76-year-old gets 12-year term

January 31, 2015

Kasaragod, Jan 31: In a significant ruling, the Principal Sessions Court here sentenced a 76-year-old man to 12 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) for injuring four persons, including a one-and-a-half-year-old girl child, by sprinkling acid on them during a bus journey in May last year.

Judge M.J. Shakthidharan, pronouncing the verdict, slapped a fine of Rs.40,000 on Soloman Thomas of Bheemanadi, for attacking the passengers in an inebriated condition in a bus on the Kanhangad-Kadumeni route on May 3.

The court ordered the convict to undergo an additional two-year jail term in case he defaulted the fine amount.

The court awarded the sentence under provisions of IPC Section 326-A (attempted acid throwing) rejecting the plea made by the convict.

Soloman pleaded to reduce his jail term citing failing health due to cancer and that he wanted to remain with his wife and daughter during the rest of his life. However, the prosecution challenged the plea arguing that Solaman was fully aware of the adverse consequences of mishandling the substance. Soloman was booked for series of criminal cases between 2011 and 2013.

The court ruled that it was awarding 12-year RI taking into account his age.

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Mangaluru’s ₹1,200 crore fix: Massive sewage overhaul to end city’s drainage woes

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

• Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

• STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

• Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

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