Bengaluru-origin doctor shot dead by friend in Texas

June 15, 2015

Houston, Jun 15: Renowned Indian-American cardiologist Suresh Gadasalli, who performed the world's first simultaneous hybrid revascularisation, was shot dead by his friend and business associate who then committed suicide in Odesaa in the US state of Texas, police said.

Dr Gadasalli, 53, was shot dead by 60-year-old patient and business associate Ayyasamy Thangam at the 'Healthy Heart Centre' on Thursday, according to a release issued by the Odessa Police Department.

Thangam then closed the door of the room the two men were in and witnesses heard another, single gunshot, it added.

According to Corporal Steve LeSueur, the two men were close friends and business associates.

Dr Gadasalli's brother-in-law said that the two families knew each other for a decade, and that the last rites will be held in Odessa likely on Wednesday.

The incident shocked the city, popular for Laura and George Bush's home city of 2.5 lakh people.

LeSueur on Friday declined to release a possible motive for the killings and the police had no information on why Thangam was being treated.

Dr. Gadasalli hailed from Bangalore and was educated at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Belgaum, Karnataka, before studying at the Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and the Sinai Samaritan Centre in Milwaukee.

He was recruited by Medical Centre Hospital in Odessa, Texas in 1994.

The Healthy Heart Centre profile mentions that Dr Gadasalli was recognised as a leading physician of the world by the International Association of Cardiologists.

He was named "super doctor" by Texas Monthly in 2008.

In 2005, he performed the world's first simultaneous hybrid revascularisation, which involved two major procedures - coronary artery bypass and stent replacement, using a robotic system known as the Da Vinci Surgical System.

Gadasalli was previously investigated in a federal court case on a currency structuring charge. The FBI began their investigation into the Healthy Heart Center in June of 2012.

He was accused of violating federal law in structuring transactions to avoid reporting requirements, according to previous reports.

According to court records, Gadasalli's case was closed on January 22, 2014.

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Udupi NRI duped of Rs 12.25 lakh in Telegram investment scam

News Network

December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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