Building collapse: Death toll mounts to 16; U T Khader suspends 7 officials

News Network

March 24, 2019

Dharwad, Mar 24: The death toll in the commercial building collapse in Karnataka's Dharwad has risen to 16, with the recovery of one more body from the debris.

Deputy Commissioner Deepa Cholan, who is monitoring the rescue operation at the commercial building collapse site said on Sunday: "A total of 57 people have been rescued so far by the state disaster response force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The death toll has reached 16 as one more body was found on Saturday night."

Meanwhile, Urban Development Minister U T Khader on Saturday suspended seven corporation officials for negligence in connection with the collapse of the under-construction building in Kumareshwar Nagar, Dharwad on March 19.

Mr Khader who visited the building crash site announced that based on the preliminary report, he had ordered the suspension of seven officers with immediate effect.

The officers suspended include -- city lanning officer Mukund Joshi, assistant director city planning Ashok Gadag, revenue officer Prakash Dodamani, executive engineer V Shridhar, assistant executive Engineer Chandrappa, city planning assistant B V Hiremath, and assistant commissioner Santosh Anishetter.

The four partners of Renuka Construction, the entity looking after the construction project, surrendered before police earlier this week.

Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had visited the site on Thursday and told the media that several people were suspected to be trapped under the rubble. He had also said the district administration has already announced a magisterial inquiry and the government is ready to appoint a retired high court judge if required.

On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to Karnataka's Hubballi from Hindon in Uttar Pradesh to join the rescue and search operation.

The rescue operation is being conducted jointly by the NDRF and the state disaster response force.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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