All Aboard! Mangaluru–Vijayapura Train Finally Goes Regular

A rape case has been filed against Swami Pradiptananda, popularly known as Kartik Maharaj, a monk associated with the Bharat Sevashram Sangha’s Beldanga unit in Murshidabad, West Bengal. The 2024 Padma Shri awardee has been accused by a woman of repeatedly raping her over the past decade under the pretext of offering her a teaching job.

According to the FIR filed with Nabagram police, the woman said she first met Maharaj in December 2012, when he offered her a position at a school run by the ashram. She was accommodated at the school hostel in early 2013 but claims Maharaj began summoning her to a room on the fifth floor and raped her repeatedly. She further alleged that she was also raped at other ashram branches and was forced to undergo an abortion after becoming pregnant that same year.

The survivor said that on June 13 this year, two men claiming to be Maharaj’s associates assaulted her, threatened her to stay silent, and pushed her out of a vehicle near a correctional home after she tried contacting him again.

In her complaint, she also expressed concern that other women may have faced similar abuse. Maharaj has denied all allegations, calling them part of a conspiracy to damage his reputation. “Ask the women who work here — we treat them like mothers,” he said.

The complaint has triggered fresh political debate in the state, especially as it comes close on the heels of a high-profile gangrape case at South Calcutta Law College and last year’s rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College — both of which have stirred public anger and political sparring between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

Police said an investigation is underway.

Indian National Congress’ national media panelist Aishwarya Mahadev has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) Social Media Department.

In an official press release, AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal stated, “The AICC has approved the proposal for the appointment of Ms. Aishwarya Mahadev as the Chairperson of the Social Media Department of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, with immediate effect.”

Aishwarya is the daughter of late Congress leader and former MLA Manchanahalli Mahadev, who passed away 14 years ago. 

Despite losing her father at a young age, Aishwarya has remained deeply involved in the party’s activities from early on. She rose through the ranks to become Secretary of the Congress Mahila Morcha (Women’s Wing) at a young age and has held several important responsibilities since then.

Over the years, she has gained prominence as a bold and articulate spokesperson for the Congress, often representing the party in televised debates and digital platforms. 

Known for her sharp communication skills and strong digital presence, her appointment is seen as a strategic move to further strengthen the Congress party’s outreach in Karnataka ahead of future elections.

Mangaluru, July 7: Two working professionals from Mangaluru have lost more than ₹10 lakh in separate incidents of online job fraud, raising alarm over the growing trend of cybercrime exploiting employment seekers.

Case 1: Part-Time Job Scam on WhatsApp & Telegram

A woman professional lost ₹6.5 lakh after falling for a so-called part-time work-from-home job. According to her complaint, she received a WhatsApp message on June 25 from someone claiming to be an HR assistant from the NSE Exchange. The job promised earnings between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000.

She was asked to join via a link and instructed to download the Telegram app, where further communication and tasks were assigned. After completing 30 initial tasks, she received small payments of ₹180 and ₹200 to gain her trust.

However, soon she was assigned "trade tasks" and told to deposit ₹800 to a bank account. Over the next three days (June 26–28), she was made to transfer larger amounts to multiple accounts via UPI and net banking. When no payments were refunded, she realized it was a scam and lodged a complaint with Mangaluru Rural Police.

Case 2: Fake International Hospital Job Offer

In another incident, a medical professional lost ₹4.2 lakh to fraudsters posing as recruiters for NMC Hospital in Dubai. The complainant received a call on June 6 from a woman named Sangeetha, followed by a detailed job offer via email.

A man named Vinay Singh then contacted the complainant and asked for multiple payments — ₹5,499 for registration, ₹25,960 for profile verification, and over ₹82,000 for a DHA licence. Over the next few days, further payments totaling several lakhs were demanded for NOC and other formalities.

Suspicion arose when the fraudsters asked for an additional ₹2.6 lakh. After consulting friends, the complainant discovered the job offer was fake and reported the fraud to Kankanady Town Police Station.

Authorities Urge Caution

Police have urged the public, especially job seekers, to be extremely cautious while responding to unsolicited job offers online, particularly those demanding advance payments or using unofficial platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram for communication.