Udupi: Activists stage hunger strike against privatization of govt hospital

[email protected] (CD Network)
October 30, 2016

Udupi, Oct 30: Activists, who are opposing the privatization of a government hospital in Udupi, on Sunday staged a hunger strike, here, to register their protest against foundation stone laying for the super-specialty hospital.

shettyhos
Former MLA U R Sabhapati, renounced physician Dr P V Bhandary, social activist Akbar Ali among others have participated in the daylong hunger strike in front of the clock tower.

Bharatiya Janata Party also have strongly condemned the government's decision to hand over the land of maternity and paediatric hospital falling under the district hospital at Ajjarkad to NRI business tycoon BR Shetty for the construction of hospital in memory of latter's mother.

The land was donated to the government decades ago by Late Haji Abdullah Kasim Saheb Bahadur, a well known philanthropist and founder of the Corporation Bank, for the construction of a state-run hospital.

Former Udupi MLA Raghupati Bhat said that the new hospital project is not for public support or for charity. “It is completely for business reasons. Before laying the foundation stone, the state government is supposed to have a meeting with MLC, MP, CMC and public of Udupi,” he said adding that the people in Bengaluru cannot take the decision.

“There's no transparency in the project permission. The government did not call for global tenders," he said.

“Don't hand over the 200-bed hospital to a private party. Let BR Shetty have control of the 400 bed multi-specialty hospital and let the government handle the charity hospital. If this is done, we have no issue with it,” he said.

Also Read: Concern over govt's move to handover Haji Abdullah's land to B R Shetty

Comments

Syed
 - 
Sunday, 30 Oct 2016

B.R Shetty's intention to help the downtrodden people of Udupi District is good but the question is naming the hospital as Kusamma Shetty Haji Abdullah is utter nonsense. Why philanthropists name is given to Govt. Hospital? Thank God they retain the original name, If you make a charity from right hand then left hand should not know about the charity. Publicity!.

mohd
 - 
Sunday, 30 Oct 2016

B R Shetty runs buniness with Over draft fron banks. Let him buy the properly on his own, not the one donated to govermnet for treamnet of poors.

Rikaz
 - 
Sunday, 30 Oct 2016

BR Shetty might be having a lot of money. it does not make sense to a person like him to go with free and cheap land that too this land has been donated for good cause. Government hospital could be a best option than going with donating the donated land to BR....he will charge exorbitant rate for poor and riches even if he built hospital in that place...

Asif
 - 
Sunday, 30 Oct 2016

Why BR Shetty getting free land from Govrnment if he start charity hospital. Let him purchase land from private people as legal. Utterly monkey business. Fooling to people and government. He is business tycoon. Government should rethink about the decision.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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News Network
December 20,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 20: The Mangaluru City Police have issued a detailed traffic advisory ahead of the inaugural ceremony of Karavali Utsava, which will be held at the Karavali Utsava Ground on Saturday.

The festival will be inaugurated at 6:00 pm by Dakshina Kannada District Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. Cultural and public programmes will be held at the venue every evening and will continue until January 2.

According to City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, parking of vehicles is strictly prohibited on both sides of the road from Lalbagh to Karavali Utsava Ground. Visitors are requested to park their vehicles only at designated parking areas.

To help the public, traffic signboards and parking guidance flex boards have been installed along the routes leading to the venue. The police have urged commuters and visitors to follow these instructions to ensure smooth traffic movement.

Designated Parking Locations

•    Urwa Market Ground – Cars
•    Gandhinagar Government School (near Press Club) – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Ladyhill Church parking area – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Canara School Ground, Mannagudda – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Thimmappa Hotel premises – Two-wheelers and cars
•    Scout and Guide Bhavana premises (behind Karavali Utsava Grounds) – Two-wheelers
•    Urwa Market Road – Two-wheelers
•    Hat Hill Road – Two-wheelers

The police have appealed to the public to cooperate by following traffic rules and parking guidelines to avoid inconvenience during the festival.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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