Film shoot blast deaths: KFCC says there’s very little it can do

TNN

April 2, 2019

Bengaluru, Apr 2: The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce(KFCC) on Monday washed its hands of any responsibility towards Friday’s cylinder blast at a film shoot site, which left a 28-year-old woman and her four-year-old daughter dead.

“We can’t get involved in the matter. We can only arrange a meeting between the crew of the film Ranam and family members of the woman. But currently, their phones are switched off,” said KFCC president, SA Chinne Gowda.

Gowda’s statement comes after family members of Samina Banu and Ayesha Banu, who were killed in the blast, met KFCC office-bearers seeking justice. “It has been over four days since the incident took place but police and KFCC haven’t done anything to make the Ranam team accountable for the tragedy, which happened due to the crew’s negligence,” said Samina’s husband Tabrez Khan.

A tearful Tabrez said his wife and child meant the world to him and he was taking them to their aunt’s place when the tragedy occurred. “My younger daughter is traumatized and is longing for her mother. How do I handle this,” he asked.

Samina’s brother-in-law Munnavar Khan said since the incident, no one from the KFCC or film crew has shown sympathy to the family. “Not a single person from the Kannada film industry has spoken to us or consoled us,” rued Munnavar.

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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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