Honnavar: Close shave for Bhatkal MLA as crude bomb explodes; accused is Raymond

coastaldiget.com news network

February 26, 2018

Honnavar, Feb 26: In what could have been a major tragedy, a crude bomb exploded near the stage where Bhatkal MLA Mankala Subba Vaidya was to inaugurate the District Level Volleyball tournament at Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district on Sunday night.

Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police Vinayak Patil said the crude bomb exploded in the hands of Raymond Miranda (27), a resident of Honnavar, who was carrying it. Miranda was standing about 30 meters away from the stage.

The SP said that the explosion occurred around 11 p.m. when Mr Vaidya was walking towards the stage to inaugurate the volleyball tournament organised by Hosapatna Kalavrunda.

He said that during the explosion, Miranda’s right wrist was blown off. The police apprehended him and sent him to Kastruba Medical College, Manipal, for treatment.

Miranda, who works as a mechanic in a showroom in the town, is currently in the ICU and the police are waiting for him to recover to get his statement.

Meanwhile, Mr Vaidya told reporters that he was not perturbed by the alleged attempt on his life. “I have blessings of the voters. Nothing perturbs me,” he said and suspected that it was hatched with a political motive.

He said he initially thought that the explosion was that of crackers and a police sub inspector later informed him that it was a crude bomb. As the alleged perpetrator was in police custody, he said he was confident that the police will arrest those behind the incident soon.

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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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