How wife’s reel video obsession led to brutal murder by temple staff just 8 months into marriage in Udupi

News Network
August 23, 2024

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Udupi: What began as a new chapter filled with promise and dreams ended in unthinkable tragedy on Friday night in Karkada, near Saligrama in Brahmavara taluk of Udupi district. Jayashree, a 31-year-old woman who had hoped for a fresh start after her first husband's death, was found dead, allegedly at the hands of her second husband, Kiran Upadhya.

Jayashree, originally from Donagapura in Bidar, was married to Kiran, 41, an assistant cook in temples and a resident of Gundmi, Sastan. The couple had tied the knot just eight months ago, seemingly looking forward to building a life together. However, beneath the surface, their relationship was fraught with tension and conflict.

Jayashree was reportedly passionate about creating reel videos for social media. Her videos often featured herself, and sometimes, her husband. To the outside world, these clips portrayed a loving and playful couple, but behind the camera, the couple struggled with growing disagreements and frustrations.

Kiran found it increasingly difficult to cope with Jayashree's online habits. Her addiction to making videos was accompanied by an equally consuming passion for online shopping, which drained the couple's finances. She would often spend large sums on items they didn't need, adding to the financial strain on their young marriage. Jayashree also dreamed of a life filled with luxury—a big house, a fancy car, and more—demands that Kiran, with his modest income, could not meet.

Coming from a family of temple priests in the Panchamasali community of Bidar, Jayashree had seen her share of loss and hardship. Her first husband, a man from Mangaluru, had passed away, leaving her to rebuild her life. In Kiran, she saw a chance at stability, but their dreams soon turned to dust. After just two months of marriage, they moved into a rented house in Karkada, owned by an acquaintance. It was there that their disagreements over money and material possessions reached a boiling point.

On Thursday night, the situation escalated into a heated argument. In a moment of rage, Kiran allegedly attacked Jayashree with a sickle, ending her life. The landlord, who lived downstairs, was away in Mangaluru, leaving the crime unnoticed until it was too late.

In a state of panic, Kiran tried to cover up what he had done. He initially planned to bury Jayashree's body in a cow dung pit but quickly changed his mind. Desperate, he called friends and relatives, claiming his wife had fallen from the first floor and was unresponsive. Sensing something was amiss, they urged him to take her to the hospital.

At around 5:30 a.m., Kiran called for a Jeevan Mitra ambulance and rushed Jayashree to the government hospital in Udupi. Sadly, it was too late—doctors declared her dead on arrival.

Returning home, Kiran attempted to clean up the evidence of his crime, but by then, the neighbors were suspicious. They noticed his strange behavior and immediately contacted the police. Authorities arrived at the scene, took Kiran into custody, and began their investigation into what had led to such a devastating outcome.

Udupi Additional SP S.T. Siddalingappa, DySP D.T. Prabhu, Brahmavar Circle Inspector Divakara, and other police personnel visited the crime scene to gather evidence. Meanwhile, Jayashree's family, who were expected to arrive in Kota on Saturday, are left to mourn the sudden and violent loss of their loved one.

Locals have since revealed that Kiran's actions were premeditated. He reportedly purchased a new sickle from the local market on Thursday evening and had spoken ill of Jayashree to friends and family in the days leading up to the incident, hinting at a darkness that would soon shatter both their lives.

In the end, what was meant to be a new beginning for Jayashree and Kiran became a heart-wrenching story of a love that could not survive its struggles, leaving behind grief, questions, and an irrevocable loss.

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News Network
February 1,2026

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, claiming it offered no tangible benefit to the state.

Though he said he was yet to study the budget in detail, Shivakumar asserted that Karnataka had gained little from it. “There is no benefit for our state from the central budget. I was observing it. They have now named a programme after Mahatma Gandhi, after repealing the MGNREGA Act that was named after him,” he said.

Speaking to reporters here, the Deputy Chief Minister demanded the restoration of MGNREGA, and made it clear that the newly enacted rural employment scheme — VB-G RAM G — which proposes a 60:40 fund-sharing formula between the Centre and the states, would not be implemented in Karnataka.

“I don’t see any major share for our state in this budget,” he added.

Shivakumar, who also holds charge of Bengaluru development, said there were high expectations for the city from the Union Budget. “The Prime Minister calls Bengaluru a ‘global city’, but what has the Centre done for it?” he asked.

He also drew attention to the problems faced by sugar factories, particularly those in the cooperative sector, alleging a lack of timely decisions and support from the central government.

Noting that the Centre has the authority to fix the minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce, Shivakumar said the Union government must take concrete steps to protect farmers’ interests.

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News Network
January 23,2026

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The Voice of Hind Rajab, inspired by the tragic final moments of a young Palestinian girl killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, has been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best International Feature Film category.

Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the film recounts the true story of five-year-old Hind Rajab, who lost her life in January 2024 while fleeing Israeli bombardment with her family.

The film features the real audio of Hind’s desperate call to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, where she pleaded for help moments before the vehicle she was in was struck by 355 bullets.

The haunting narrative begins with a brief call made from the besieged Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza, where gunfire and armored vehicles drowned out every sound.

After witnessing the brutal killing of her family, she made a trembling call, her voice reduced to a whisper as she spoke of the massacre and her unbearable loneliness as the sole survivor.

Premiering at the Venice International Film Festival in September 2025, The Voice of Hind Rajab garnered widespread acclaim, receiving a record-setting 23-minute standing ovation and the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, the festival’s second-highest honor.

In her acceptance speech, Ben Hania dedicated the film to humanitarian workers and first responders in Gaza, emphasizing that Hind's voice symbolizes countless civilians affected by war.

She aims to give voice to victims often reduced to mere statistics, highlighting the broader suffering of civilians in war zones.

The film’s Oscar nomination underscores its powerful storytelling and ethical approach to depicting real-life tragedy, making it a crucial piece of contemporary cinema.

It serves not only as a narration of individual tragedy but also as an artistic and documentary response to the silence and censorship that often overshadow West Asian struggles and wars.

Using an innovative method she calls docufiction, Ben Hania bridges unvarnished reality and narrative structure, creating a work that is both artistically valuable and socially impactful.

Born in 1977 in Sidi Bouzid—later the epicenter of the Arab revolution—her background profoundly influenced her worldview and artistic approach.

She is a graduate of the Higher School of Audiovisual Arts of Tunis, Pantheon-Sorbonne University, and La Fémis in Paris, where her studies equipped her with the technical and theoretical tools needed to address complex subjects. 

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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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