Gold worth Rs 44 lakh seized at Mangaluru Airport

Mangaluru, May 31: A 24-year-old volleyball player from Dakshina Kannada, who had represented Karnataka state at national level tournaments, died of cardiac arrest under mysterious circumstances today morning.

The deceased has been identified as Salihath, daughter of daughter of Adam and Havva couple from Padangadi Poyyegudde in Belthangady taulk of Dakshina Kannada. 

She was an alumna of SDM College, Ujire. She was residing at her husband’s house at Chikkamagaluru after she got married a year ago. 

It is learnt that Salihath was admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru after she complained of chest pain. She breathed her last Wednesday morning without responding to any treatment. Doctors confirmed that she died of cardiac arrest.

Salihath completed her primary education from Padangadi, ninth standard at an aided high school in Ujire, Class 10 at Mundaje and PU and degree at SDM Colelge Ujire. She made commendable achievement in sports when doing her PU and degree studies.

Initially, Salihath was coached by Hyder Padangadi. When she was in high school of Mundaje, physical teacher Gunapal M S was her coach. She was instrumental in Karnataka state getting second spot in the national level volleyball competition that was held at Allahabad of Uttar Pradesh.

Later, when she was doing PU and degree studies at SDM Ujire she was one of the most sought after volleyball players of Karnataka. Physical director of SDM College, Ramesh also had put lots of efforts in grooming Salihath as a national level volleyball player.

Salihath had bagged silver medal at national level, gold medal in senior nationals of south zone and third place in junior nationals. Dr D Veerendra Heggade had also honoured Salihath on her achievements. 

Bengaluru, June 6: Following the poor show in the Karnataka Assembly polls, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday said there are plans to restructure the party in a "big way". The former chief minister said that JD(S) National President and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has advised that a high-level committee be constituted with representation from all communities for strengthening the party.

"In a big way we want to give responsibilities this time, community wise, as per the directions of our national president, and extract work from them in order to build trust among the people and to strengthen the party. So, there are plans to bring in big changes and restructure the party," Kumaraswamy said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "We have started discussions with leaders from all 30 districts. We discuss and decide on restructuring." JD(S) emerged a distant third in the Assembly polls last month by securing just 19 of the total 224 seats. Following this, party state president C M Ibrahim and youth wing chief Nikhil Kumaraswamy have resigned taking moral responsibility.

Their resignations are yet to be accepted. JD(S) chief Deve Gowda has called a meeting of party leaders to discuss the party's performance in the recently held Assembly polls as well as about organising, strengthening the party and restructuring of taluk and district units wherever necessary ahead of the upcoming zilla, taluk and corporation polls, in addition to making preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Stating that the JD(S) will wait and watch whether the Congress government will fulfil the irrigation projects in the state and its poll guarantees as promised before the elections, Kumaraswamy said, "If they take steps to implement them as promised, we will support. If not, we will fulfill the responsibility as an opposition by creating awareness among the people."

He also hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for accusing the opposition of trying to incite people by spreading false information regarding the guarantee schemes.

"Siddaramaiah, it is you who have misled the people. You have now attached conditions for the implementation of guarantees, without having made any reference to them ahead of elections." Kumaraswmy urged the Siddaramaiah government to walk the talk and fulfill the guarantees as promised to the people before the polls.

"Their (Congress govt) guarantees seem to have become duplicate. We will see how many beneficiaries will get the advantage of them in the next few days... Let's give some time to the new government, we will discuss on the floor of the Assembly," he added.

Bengaluru, June 5: The state's Budget will be tabled on July 7, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday, as all eyes watch how the government will make the necessary funds allocations, given that it has undertaken to start implementing all five of its poll guarantees within the financial year.

The chief minister said the Cabinet has not yet discussed about the Budget but the Assembly session will start from July 3, and after the discussion on the Governor's speech, the Budget will be tabled on July 7.

"We are convening the Budget Session where we will table the Budget on July 7. We will make provisions for the implementation of the promises made in our manifesto," Siddaramaiah said. When asked about the size of the Budget, he said he would be able to speak on the matter only after the Budget preparatory meeting starts.

The chief minister pointed out that the size of the budget tabled by the previous government ahead of the election was Rs 3.08 lakh crore.

Regarding revisiting the anti-cow-slaughter law as stated by Karnataka Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh, the chief minister said he will discuss it in the Cabinet.

According to him, there already existed a Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Cattle Preservation Act, 1964 but it lacked clarity due to which an amendment was brought. However, the Congress government again went back to the 1964 Act.

"They (BJP) had again brought an amendment. We will discuss in the Cabinet. We have not decided anything yet," the CM clarified.

On the issue of hike in electricity tariff by Rs 2.89 per unit, Siddaramaiah said the decision was not taken by the government but the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC).

"We do not decide hike in electricity tariff. There is Karnataka electricity regulatory authority, which has decided. It had decided in the past. We have only implemented it," he explained.

Regarding Indira Canteens, Siddaramaiah said he has directed the officials to make all preparations to start them again.