Chief minister rules out NIA probe into Bantwal incident

DHNS

July 12, 2017

Kalaburagi/bengaluru, Jul 12: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday categorically stated the murder of RSS worker Sharat Madiwala in Bantwal of Dakshina Kannada district will not be handed over to National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the state police were competent enough to probe the incident.

Addressing reporters here, Siddaramaiah said, “There is no need to hand over the case to the NIA. Our police department is competent to conduct the investigation.”

BJP leaders have demanded an NIA probe into the case.

To a question on banning organisations involved in instigating communal violence, the chief minister said a decision will be taken after a report in this regard is submitted by a team comprising DG&IGP Rupak Kumar Dutta, ADGP (Law and Order) Alok Mohan and Advisor to Home minister, Kempaiah. The police have been directed to initiate action against organisations such as Bajrang Dal, SDPI, RSS and others if they were found stoking violence. “I have directed the police to deal with troublemakers with an iron hand and to register cases after identifying them.”

He ruled out involvement of people from Kerala in the violence, while replying to a query. Siddaramaiah said compensation to the family of Sharath Madiwala will be announced after the submission of investigation report.

Blaming the BJP for the entire incident, Siddaramaiah said that if the party leaders were ‘quiet,’ the violence would not have escalated. “Though prohibitory orders were clamped in Bantwal, they visited the place, took out a procession and celebrated Vijayotsava.”

Referring to his visit to Mangaluru, the chief minister said he didn’t visit Bantwal but Mangaluru city which is a different Assembly constituency.

Cops transferred

The government on Tuesday transferred three police officers to ensure better law and order in coastal Karnataka. Holenarasipura assistant superintendent of police Dr K Arun Kumar has been posted as assistant superintendent of police, Bantwal.

Additional superintendent of police, Dakshina Kannada district, Dr C B Vedamurthy, who was transferred a week ago, has been replaced by additional SP Udupi Vishnuvardhan.

Brijesh Mathew has been posted circle inspector of Bantwal. He is currently serving as SI of Anti-Corruption Bureau in Chikkamagaluru.

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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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