'Harassed' youth jumps in front of moving train, dies

April 30, 2015

Bengaluru, Apr 30: A 25-year-old youth committed suicide by jumping in front of a speeding train near Chandapura bridge on Tuesday night.

In a suicide note, the victim, Deepu, has stated that he was taking the extreme step because of torture by the Hebbagodi police. He has mentioned that sub-inspector Hanumantharaju and assistant sub-inspector Siddaraju threatened to book him for kidnap of one of his colleagues.

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Deepu, a native of Arkalgud in Hassan district, had come to the City five years ago and was residing in an apartment in Chandapura. He was working as a technician in Reva Motors of Mahindra Group in Bommanahalli, said the police.

Deepu's brother Hemanth, who works at Renault Motors, said that Hebbagodi police had questioned his brother in connection with the missing case of a woman Akshatha.

The family members of Akshatha had lodged a missing person complaint. Since Deepu had her mobile phone with him, Hebbagudi police questioned him.

“Deepu had told me the entire story the day before he committed suicide. He said he and Akshatha were just good friends and were working in the same company. She had recently gone to her native place in Mangaluru. She came back and told Deepu that she had left her mobile phone in her home town and asked him to get a SIM card and a mobile phone. Deepu brought her a new mobile phone and a SIM card in his name,” Hemanth said.

According to Hemanth, Akshatha had quit her job some four months ago and told Deepu that she was going to Mumbai and would be leaving the City in a few days. She returned the mobile phone along with the SIM card to Deepu. According to Hemanth it was Deepu who found something wrong and got Akshatha's sister Asha's number from the mobile phone and told her about Akshata's plan to shift to Mumbai.

“On April 26, Asha called him saying she would be in Bengaluru on Monday and would collect Akshatha's mobile phone. Asha along with one Dr Kumar met Deepu near Bommanahalli and they collected the phone. However, they insisted Deepu to accompany them to Hebbagodi police station to lodge a missing complaint. Deepu obliged and went along with them,” Hemanth said.

Apology letter

After speaking to Asha and Dr Kumar, police asked them to leave and started questioning Deepu. “Though Deepu told the police that he has not spoken to Akshatha since March 16, they made him sit in the police station till 7 pm. He called me and asked me to come to the police station. In the police station Siddaraju started threatening Deepu that if he failed to pay Rs 5,000, they would book him for kidnap.

Finally, after negotiations, Siddaraju asked Deepu to write an apology letter and asked him to come back the next morning,” Hemanth said adding that Deepu had not told him about the physical torture by the police.On April 28, Deepu woke up at around 7 am and asked Hemanth to go to work.

“He said he would go to the police station and pay them the money. I called him around 10 am but there was no answer. I went to the police station at around 6 pm and got to know that Deepu never turned up there. I found the death note on the table in the apartment. The CCTV footage at the apartment entrance showed that he had left the apartment at 9 am,'' he said.

The police, who had visited the house and examined the death note, came back with the information that a body was found near the railway track near Chandapura bridge. The body has been shifted for a post-mortem. In the suicide note, Deepu has also named Asha and Dr Kumar as responsible for the suicide.

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December 1,2025

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Udupi, Dec 1: A horrific case of alleged rape has unfolded in Udupi, where a worker from a Hindutva organisation, previously arrested and released on bail for harassing a young woman, is now accused of waylaying and sexually assaulting her.

The arrested individual has been identified as Pradeep Poojary (26), a member of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's Nairkode unit in Perdur.

Poojary had allegedly been relentlessly harassing the young woman, pressuring her to marry him. When she bravely stood up to him and refused his demands, she filed a formal complaint at the Hiriyadka police station. He was subsequently arrested in that initial harassment case but was later granted bail.

According to police reports, driven by the same malicious grudge, Poojary allegedly intercepted the woman again on November 29. While she was walking through a deserted area, the accused is claimed to have threatened her by grabbing her neck. When she again refused to marry him, he allegedly proceeded to rape her.

The survivor immediately informed her family about the traumatic assault. Following this, her parents lodged a complaint at the Udupi women’s police station.

Police arrested Poojary again and produced him before the court. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Mangaluru: Chaos erupted at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) after IndiGo flight 6E 5150, bound for Mumbai, was repeatedly delayed and ultimately cancelled, leaving around 100 passengers stranded overnight. The incident highlights the ongoing country-wide operational disruptions affecting the airline, largely due to the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for crew.

The flight was initially scheduled for 9:25 PM on Tuesday but was first postponed to 11:40 PM, then midnight, before being cancelled around 3:00 AM. Passengers expressed frustration over last-minute communication and the lack of clarity, with elderly and ailing travellers particularly affected. “Though the airline arranged food, there was no proper communication, leaving us confused,” said one family member.

An IndiGo executive at MIA cited the FDTL rules, designed to prevent pilot fatigue by limiting crew working hours, as the cause of the cancellation. While alternative arrangements, including hotel stays, were offered, about 100 passengers chose to remain at the airport, creating tension. A replacement flight was arranged but also faced delays due to the same constraints, finally departing for Mumbai around 1:45 PM on Wednesday. Passengers either flew, requested refunds, or postponed their travel.

The Mangaluru delay is part of a broader crisis for IndiGo. The airline has been forced to make “calibrated schedule adjustments”—a euphemism for widespread cancellations and delays—after stricter FDTL norms came into effect on November 1.

While an IndiGo spokesperson acknowledged unavoidable flight disruptions due to technology issues, operational requirements, and the updated crew rostering rules, the DGCA has intervened, summoning senior airline officials to explain the chaos and outline corrective measures.

The ripple effect has been felt across the country, with major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai reporting numerous cancellations. The Mangaluru incident underscores the systemic operational strain currently confronting India’s largest carrier, leaving passengers nationwide grappling with uncertainty and delays.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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