Kangana attacks Urmila for buying office after joining Sena; 'it's 'hard-earned money', responds Urmila

Mangaluru: With the surge in cybercrimes in Dakshina Kannada, the police department is set to create more awareness on social media through informative short videos. These videos aim to educate the public about various cyber fraud tactics and how to avoid falling victim to them.

Awareness Campaign

Superintended of Police CB Ryshyanth announced on Monday in Dharmasthala, “We will release the videos within 10 days. These videos will be shared on social media to raise awareness about the methods fraudsters use to deceive people.”

Common Cybercrimes

The SP highlighted several prevalent cyber scams:

Part-Time Job Scams: Fraudsters lure victims with fake job offers, often asking them to write reviews.

Share Trading Scams: Malicious links promise high returns in share trading. Initially, fraudsters pay a small amount to gain the victims’ trust. However, the app showing "high returns" is a trap, and victims realize they have been duped when no actual returns are received.

Phishing Scams: Fake 'payment gateway' pages are created to trick victims into sharing their personal details, which are then used to siphon money from their accounts.

Online Market Scams: Fraudsters offer products like iPhones at significantly lower prices, only to scam the buyers.

Precautionary Measures

SP Ryshyanth urged people to be cautious and not to attend video calls from unknown persons. He also addressed the importance of CCTV cameras in commercial establishments under the Public Safety Act. “If they fail to comply, a DSP rank officer can issue a notice and impose a fine,” he explained.

The police department’s initiative aims to make the public more vigilant and knowledgeable about cybercrimes. By understanding these fraud methods, people can better protect themselves from becoming victims. Stay informed, stay safe.

In yet another brazen act of support for Israel’s months-long genocide against the besieged Gaza Strip, the administration of US President Joe Biden has hinted that the regime’s deadly strikes targeting displaced Palestinians in the southern city of Rafah did not cross a “red line” and would not lead to a change in Washington’s policy towards Tel Aviv.

In press briefings on Tuesday, multiple administration officials described the Israeli massacre in Rafah as “heartbreaking” but claimed that the assault, which left dozens of Palestinians dead, was an airstrike and not a major ground operation.

“We still don’t believe that a major ground operation in Rafah is warranted. We still don’t want to see the Israelis, as we say, smash into Rafah with large units over large pieces of territory. We still believe that, and we haven’t seen that at this point,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.

“As a result of this strike on Sunday, I have no policy changes to speak to,” Kirby added. “It just happened. The Israelis are going to investigate it. We’re going to be taking great interest in what they find in that investigation. And we’ll see where it goes from there.”

The White House spokesperson said that “no civilian casualties is the right number of civilian casualties,” but he acknowledged innocent people are often killed in war.

“There’s not like a measuring stick here or a quota,” he said, when asked if there were a number of civilian deaths that would prompt action from the US. “As we’ve said many times, the right number of civilian casualties is zero.”

Despite providing Israel with untrammeled support over the past eight months, the White House claims to have urged Israel against sending forces into Rafah without a clear plan to evacuate civilians safely.

In another presser on Tuesday, a Pentagon official said Sunday’s airstrike, which was the deadliest incident in Rafah since Israel launched an offensive there, did not amount to what the White House has warned against.

“It is still our assessment that what is happening in Rafah and what the [Israeli military] are doing, it is limited in scope.” Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan last week told reporters there was “no mathematical formula” for assessing Israel’s conduct in Rafah, but officials would look at “whether there is a lot of death and destruction from this operation or if it is more precise and proportional.”

Israel's three-week-old Rafah offensive stirred renewed outrage after an airstrike on Sunday set ablaze a tent camp in the west of the city.

Some 50 people, including many children, were killed in Israel’s attack on the tent camp in Rafah late, prompting global condemnations and calls for the implementation of a World Court order to halt Israel's assault on Gaza.  

The attack came two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop its US-backed aggression on Gaza that has killed more than 36,000 people since it started in October last year.

BP Dinesh Kumar, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic), announced that fines and penalties for traffic violations will soon increase. The goal is to make Mangaluru's roads accident-free.

Despite having a private bus system for 80 years, the number of vehicles in Mangaluru has doubled, but the roads have not expanded. Many bus drivers frequently break the rules, making workshops for drivers essential, according to the DCP. He noted that even with fines, violations continue, and bus conductors often lack patience.

The DCP spoke at a workshop for bus conductors and drivers organized by the Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners Association and the Canara Bus Owners Association, in collaboration with St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University). The workshop aimed to improve relationships among bus personnel, the public, and students.

New criminal laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam—will take effect from July 1, replacing the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and increasing penalties for violations. Offenses like racing, drunken driving, using a mobile phone while driving, overtaking, and traffic signal violations could lead to license cancellations. Bus conductors who fail to issue tickets lose passengers' trust. Despite campaigns against using shrill horns, complaints continue about their use on long-distance buses. The DCP emphasized the importance of following traffic rules and maintaining discipline.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Najma Farooqi highlighted the need to revise bus timings and prioritize this task. Mangaluru currently has 386 city buses and 566 service buses. Recent efforts have led to the removal of 236 shrill horns and legal action against violators, but complaints persist. The use of computerized ticket machines is mandatory, and conductors must treat passengers, especially women, with respect. Installing doors on buses is also crucial for safety.

RTO Sridhar Malnad stated that around 2,000 buses, including KSRTC-operated ones, serve approximately 200,000 passengers daily. Ensuring passenger safety is a key responsibility of bus drivers. To enhance safety, 15 transport department officials review video recordings from cameras installed on buses. Plans include integrating CCTV tracking devices. The department offers weekly training sessions for 20 staff members at its training center in Mudipu.