Dubai returnees to be retained at Bengaluru, Mangaluru airports till covid results?

News Network
March 13, 2021

After it emerged that three international travellers, carrying the South African (SA) variant of the coronavirus travelled from airport to their hometowns in Karnataka, allowing wider social contact all the way, authorities are considering stricter protocols. 

While one patient travelled in a KSRTC bus from Bengaluru to Shivamogga on February 21, leaving a trail of primary contacts who are yet to be traced, on Friday, officials said a brother-sister duo who returned from Dubai to Bengaluru on February 17 and went to Ballari by train from Bengaluru, were both found to have the SA variant of the coronavirus. 

They were admitted to a trauma centre in Ballari and then put in home quarantine. The district officials said their parents have tested negative and are the only primary contacts known so far.

Ballari Deputy Commissioner Pavan Kumar Malapati said  the siblings had tested negative at the airport were positive in Ballari. 

Dr H L Janardhan, District Health Officer, Ballari, said, “They are engineering students who were home quarantined. They had tested negative in Bengaluru. After coming here, one of the siblings developed some symptoms and a repeat test showed a positive result for both of them. They came by train.”

“We will be tracing their contacts. They will be in home isolation for the next 14 days. If no new positives come up in their area, we can discharge them,” he added.

Now, there are three SA variant cases in the state, all Dubai returnees.

Sources said that passengers from Dubai are likely to be retained at Bengaluru and Mangaluru airports till their covid results are out. 

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News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

•    A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

•    The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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