CM promises thorough probe into unnatural death of contractor who had accused KSE of corruption

News Network

April 12, 2022

Mangaluru, Apr 12: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has assured that an impartial probe would be conducted into the death of contractor Santhsoh Patil, who was found dead at Shambhavi Lodging near KSRTC bus stand in Udupi today.

Patil, a BJP worker, had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission through his associates.

Speaking to media persons in Mangaluru, the CM said: “after the preliminary investigation into the cause of death, further action will be taken. The FSL team and police have reached the lodge where he had ended his life.”

“A thorough investigation into the death will be conducted by the police. The government will not interfere in the investigation. The genuinity of the letter and the WhatsApp messages that are being circulated on the social media will be looked into. The investigation will dig into the background and reason for the death as well. The police have been asked to conduct a thorough investigation in an organised manner. The preliminary report will bring out the truth on why he took the extreme step to end his life,” said the CM.

Bommai said that K S Eshwarappa had denied the allegations of kickback levelled by Belagavi-based Santosh K Patil. Further, he had even filed a case against Patil for defamation.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

RuTAGe smart village centres in DK, Udupi to being technology closer to rural communities

News Network

January 20,2026

Mangaluru: In a major step towards strengthening rural innovation, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India is supporting the establishment of RuTAGe Smart Village Centres (RSVCs) across the country through collaborations with academic institutions, civil society organisations and philanthropic partners.

As part of this national initiative, Nitte (Deemed to be University) will set up the first RSVCs in the region at Nitte GP in Udupi district and at the Nitte Health Centre, Sevanjali Trust, Farangipete, in Dakshina Kannada district. The centres will be inaugurated on January 21. In South India, the programme is being implemented by the Section Infin-8 Foundation (SI-8).

Speaking to reporters on Monday, SI-8 founder-director Vishwas US said experts from Nitte University and SI-8 would work closely with farmers, students, youth and local entrepreneurs to adapt and deploy technologies tailored to local needs.

Project head Prof Iddya Karunasagar, representing Nitte DU, said the RSVCs at Nitte and Farangipete would serve as demonstration hubs for a wide range of agriculture, energy, skill-development and assistive technologies. These include solar dryers for fruits, vegetables and crops; soil-testing solutions; power weeders and women-friendly farm tools; wind-powered devices for rural artisans; grain storage systems; grass-cutting and tree-climbing equipment; and liquid fertiliser production using cowshed waste.

SI-8 CEO Aravind C Kumar said the centres would also provide access to digital and knowledge-based platforms such as ISRO applications, government scheme portals, market linkage tools and gamified learning resources, along with assistive technologies for persons with visual impairments.

Highlighting the broader impact of the initiative, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood said it demonstrated how applied research could bridge the rural–urban divide and help create self-reliant, technology-enabled villages.

The initiative has been made possible through philanthropic support from Dr NC Murthy of ACM Business Solutions, LLC, USA. Dr Sapna Poti, Director (Strategic Alliances) at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the long-term objective is to build self-sufficient, technology-driven communities capable of generating sustainable livelihoods on their own.

Comments