Minister shouts at woman IPS officer leaving her in tears; video goes viral

News Network

January 25, 2019

Tumakuru, Jan 25: Karnataka Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader SR Mahesh entered into an altercation with Tumarku Superintendent of Police Divya Gopinath during the funeral of Siddaganga seer Shivakumara Swami, leaving the latter in tears. The incident occurred when Gopinath stopped him from entering a restricted area after which the minister lost his cool and shouted at the woman officer.

The minister was stopped from entering the Siddagana Mutt, the 111-year-old seer’s final resting ground, as there was a restriction on the number of people entering the premises. When Mahesh insisting on entering the people, he was told by Gopinath that the building could not accommodate any more people after which the altercation occurred.

In a video of the incident showed Gopinath stopping the minister from entering the premises. As per eyewitnesses, the minister ‘abused’ Gopinath after which she was left in tears. The state tourism minister, however, claims that he didn’t use any foul language.

"I asked her not to create any nuisance there. I didn’t abuse anyone. My only objection was that how could a minister be denied entry into the hall when all the other MLAs and ministers were allowed,” Mahesh was quoted by the news agency as saying.

Gopinath said she was only doing her job as chief minister and deputy chief minister had given instructions to maintain security and manage the crowd effectively.

Shivakumara Swami, who passed away on Monday, was known as the 'walking god' and an incarnation of the 12th century social reformed by his followers. The Lingayat seer also headed Sree Siddaganga educational trust which runs 125 educational institutes. Many of these institutions offer free education for the poor or unprivileged.

Adding hurt to the injury, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy defended the minister, saying, he responded angrily as he was denied entry to the venue. Millions of people were allowed to enter the venue then why cabinet ministers were being stopped, he added.

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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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