Four women held for ‘avenge killing’ of murder accused BJP leader

February 14, 2015

Kasaragod, Feb 14: Four women have been arrested in connection with the recent murder of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Venugopal at Kalavoor, near Alappuzha.

The arrested were identified as Smitha (28) of Pannissery colony at Mannancherry; Rajni (33), Girija (42), and her daughter, Greeshma (18), all the three hailing from ITC colony at Mannancherry.

Mararikulam Circle Inspector K.G. Aneesh told reporters on Friday that Smitha had hatched the plot to avenge the death of her husband, Chandralal, a DYFI activist, who was killed by Venugopal two years ago. The other three women were neighbours of Venugopal and were entrusted to observe his movements.

“The women had assigned a quotation gang from Pathanamthitta for the task. The gang was identified by Jayaraj of Mannancherry, a close friend of Chandralal. The crime was committed in the early hours on January 29 at the behest of the women who have been arrested,” he said.

While Rajni, Girija, and Greeshma have been remanded, Smitha will be produced before a local court on Saturday. Mr. Aneesh said the police were on the lookout for seven more persons, three of whom were directly involved in the murder.

The police had arrested five persons, including Jayaraj, in connection with the case nearly a week ago. The brutal murder of Venugopal, the Alappuzha constituency secretary of BJP, had resulted in tension in the area with the party observing a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the area.

Chandralal (Emmachan), a KSEB employee and accused in many criminal cases, was killed near Valiya Kalavoor within the Mannancherry police station limits on March 20, 2013. The entire drama was unfolded after a five-member quotation gang was arrested by the police on February 5. Venugopal, 44, was hacked to death at the ITC colony.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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