Child labourer rescued from customs officer's house

July 11, 2011

Mangalore, July 11: A 13 year old Bihari boy, who was forced to leave his school and work as child labourer in a house belonging to a government officer in the city, was rescued on Monday by the authorities.

“I want to become an officer,” said Hindi speaking Bimalesh after he was fetched out of the house by authorities in a raid conducted jointly by the Department of Labour, Department of Women and Child Welfare, and Employees State Insurance.

The officials led by Assistant Labour Commissioner A Venkatesh Shindihatti, stunned to know that the owner of the house, where the boy was working, was Assistant Commissioner of Customs identified as K Krishna Prasad, who is also a native of Bihar.

The boy, though initially hesitated to speak, later expressed his desire before media persons that he wanted to go to school.

Bimalesh, who lost his father at a very early age, said that his mother asked him to stay at Krishna Prasad's house.

Mr Shindihatti said that the boy was employed to perform domestic chores and to bring things from market since last two months.

Dr. Madhukar of ESI after examining the boy informed that he might be between 12 and 14 years. However, the boy's bones and teeth are yet to be examined and the X- rays will be taken in the Government Wenlock Hospital, he informed.

The boy was later produced before Child Welfare Committee.

Accused vanishes!

When the officials, acting on tip off, knocked the door at flat No 203, in Heritage Apartment near Barke Police Station, at around 1 p.m. the woman inside the house refused to open the door and asked to speak with the house owner K Krishna Prasad.

When, Mr Shindhihatti spoke to Prasad over phone, the latter asked him to come next day as there were no male members inside the house. However, Mr Shindhihatti insisted that they cannot go back without meeting the boy, who was inside the house. Prasad replied that he would be there within 20 minutes.

Although, the officials waited for next two hours patiently, Prasad did not come and finally the woman inside the house opened the door and allowed for inspection.

Later, one of the neighbours of Prasad said that he had come to the flat, but, escaped after coming to know that media persons and cameramen were also waiting along with the officials for him.


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December 2,2025

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Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

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Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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