Alleged sexual assault on child by school driver sparks violent protests

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Moany Gatty)
March 13, 2015

Mangaluru, Mar 13: A riot-like situation prevailed in Thokkottu and Ullal localities of Mangaluru taluk after a few local residents ran amok and pelted stones to exhibit their anger after a middle aged miscreant allegedly raped a three-and-half-year-old girl.

The girl, a student of Mangalore One School, located near Thokkottu, was allegedly raped inside a school van by the driver on Friday, putting the spotlight back on rising incidents of sexual abuse of school-going minors across the country.

Police said that the accused, identified as Madhukar Shetty (38), the driver of the school van, was arrested soon after a complaint was registered against him at jurisdictional Ullal Police Station.

“Police have arrested the accused and further investigation is on,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Vishnuvardhan told Coastaldigest.com.

The incident came to light after the girl returned home. When the girl went to the toilet, her mother noticed that she was bleeding. After the girl narrated the incident to her parents, they lodged a complaint with Ullal police station.

A relative of the girl said on condition of the anonymity that the accused had dropped all other school children before forcing himself on the minor.

The news of alleged sexual assault on a school child belonging to minority community by the driver employed by the same school spread in the region like wildfire within a couple of hours.

Enraged residents took to the streets and resorted to flash protest. A few miscreants among the separate group of protesters pelted stones at vehicles at Ullal and Thokkottu, in an apparent bid to disturb the peace in the society.

When the girl was taken to a private hospital in Thokkottu for medical examination, dozens of people gathered outside the hospital and raised slogans demanding harsh punishment for the alleged rapist. The police had to resort to mild baton charge to disperse the mob in front of the hospital.
Within a few minutes another protest erupted on National Highway Thokkottu and a few miscreants threw stones at a private passenger bus. A vehicle belonging to Ullal Police Station also was stoned by the protesters.

A few protesters were taken into custody by the police. Shops were closed in Thokkottu and Ullal junction in the evening after the anti-rape protest took a violent turn.

The doctors at the private hospital in Thokkottu, meanwhile, suggested shifting the girl to Mangaluru. When she was brought to a government hospital for medical examination, another group of people staged in front of the hospital. The police managed to disperse the crowd with the help of few local leaders.

At the same time, a group of people also staged protest in front of Ullal Police Station demanding harsh punishment for the rape accused and release of the protesters. Once again police resorted to mild baton charge to disperse the mob.

It is learnt that the accused Madhukar was assaulted by two local residents before he was taken into custody by the police at the school premises. Mangaluru city police chief S Murugan and his deputy Vishnuwardhan visited Ullal and Thokkottu after the protests.

On the other had the management of Mangaluru One school, run by a former police officer, has rubbished the rape allegation against the driver of the school van. Sources in the school told Ullal police that the girl had suffered injuries as furniture in the classroom accidentally hit her private part when she was getting ready to go home after finishing classes.

Also Read: Medical report confirms rape of nursery student; school remains closed

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News Network
December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 28,2025

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Udupi district transformed into a sea of saffron and celebration on Friday, November 28, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s roadshow swept through the coastal temple town. Thousands of residents lined the streets, turning the event into a vibrant public spectacle filled with cheers, flags, and festive energy.

The procession route—from the helipad to the historic Sri Krishna Math—was decked with buntings, saffron flags, and multilayered security barricades. One of the district’s largest-ever security deployments was put in place for the high-profile visit, with over 3,000 police personnel on duty. The arrangement included ten SPs, 27 DSPs, 49 inspectors, 127 sub-inspectors, 232 assistant sub-inspectors, 1,608 constables, and 39 women staff.

Six platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police, six Quick Response Teams, bomb detection units, and dog squads were stationed across Udupi. Enhanced surveillance covered Adi Udupi, Bannanje bus stand, and the Sri Krishna Math parking zone, with combing operations carried out along the roadshow corridor.

At the 800-year-old Sri Krishna Math, preparations reached a ceremonial peak. Paryaya Puttige Math seer Sugunendra Teertha Swamiji said the Prime Minister would take part in the Laksha Kantha Geetha Parayana, a mass chanting of the Bhagavad Gita by one lakh devotees, and inaugurate the new Suvarna Teertha Mantapa.

“He will first offer floral tributes to saint-poet Kanakadasa and then unveil the golden covering over the Kanakana Kindi,” the seer said.

The Prime Minister will also receive a Poorna Kumbha welcome and have darshan of Lord Sri Krishna, Mukhyaprana Devaru, and the Suvarna Paduke. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Minister Bairathi Suresh, Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade, and seers from the Ashta Maths are expected to join the ceremony.

Ahead of his arrival, the Prime Minister posted on X that he felt “honoured” to attend the spiritually significant gathering. “This is a special occasion that brings together people from different sections of society for a recital of the Gita. This Matha has a very special significance in our cultural life,” he wrote, noting the institution’s long-standing legacy rooted in the teachings of Sri Madhvacharya.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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