Driver goes missing under mysterious circumstances; car found

August 27, 2011

Mangalore, August 27: A car that was missing along with its owner-cum-driver, since Thursday evening found abandoned on Friday near the main gate of Suzlon Energy Ltd near Padubidri.

However there was no clue about the missing owner Govardhan (32), son of S Narayan, a resident of Sootarpete Kankanady, here.

It is said that four strangers had hired the car on Thursday from KSRTC bus stand in the city to reach Karkala.

At around 7: 15 pm the strangers had approached Govardhan saying that their car had developed snags in Karkala and they wanted to bring it back. At around 9:30 pm Govardhan called his family and informed that he was in Karkala and would be returning soon.

When Govardhan did not return home till Friday morning his family members tried contact him over phone. However both of his cells were switched off. Later they decided to inform Urwa police station. When Govardhan's friends and family members started to search for him they found his car.

A team of Urwa police station rushed to the spot. Thereafter Sniffer dogs were pressed into action and finger print experts were called in. Sniffer dogs and finger print experts arrived on the spot thereafter.

While examining the car police found chili powder, footwear, broken indicator switch and broken mirror. Police are of the suspicion that people may have fought inside the car.

The incident has created fear in the region. It can be recalled that Hussain, a Kabettu based a car driver was murdered by a group of people who had hired his car to Shimoga a couple of weeks ago.

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Mangaluru’s KPT becomes India’s first autonomous govt polytechnic

News Network

January 23,2026

Mangaluru: The Karnataka Government Polytechnic (KPT), Mangaluru, has achieved autonomous status from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), becoming the first government polytechnic in the country to receive such recognition in its 78-year history. The status was granted by AICTE, New Delhi, and subsequently approved by the Karnataka Board of Technical Education in October last year.

Officials said the autonomy was conferred a few months ago. Until recently, AICTE extended autonomous status only to engineering colleges, excluding diploma institutions. However, with a renewed national focus on skill development, several government polytechnics across India have now been granted autonomy.

KPT, the second-largest polytechnic in Karnataka, was established in 1946 with four branches and has since expanded to offer eight diploma programmes, including computer science and polymer technology. The institution is spread across a 19-acre campus.

Ravindra M Keni, the first dean of the institution, told The Times of India that AICTE had proposed autonomous status for polytechnic institutions that are over 25 years old. “Many colleges applied. In the first round, 100 institutions were shortlisted, which was further narrowed down to 15 in the second round. We have already completed one semester after becoming an autonomous institution,” he said. He added that nearly 500 students are admitted annually across eight three-year diploma courses.

Explaining the factors that helped KPT secure autonomy, Keni said the institution has consistently recorded 100 per cent admissions and placements for its graduates. He also noted its strong performance in sports, with the college emerging champions for 12 consecutive years, along with active student participation in NCC and NSS activities.

Autonomous status allows KPT to design industry-oriented curricula, conduct examinations, prepare question papers, and manage academic documentation independently. The institution can also directly collaborate with industries and receive priority funding from AICTE or the Ministry of Education. While academic autonomy has been granted, financial control will continue to rest with the state government.

“There will be separate committees for examinations, question paper setting, boards of studies, and boards of examiners. The institution will now have the freedom to conduct admissions without government notifications and issue its own marks cards,” Keni said, adding that new academic initiatives would be planned after a year of functioning under the autonomous framework.

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