Killing of taxi drivers: Locals in shock

[email protected] (Times of India)
August 31, 2011

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Mangalore, August 31: Murders of two taxi drivers in the space of a month, has come as rude shock to a community that toils to earn a livelihood. Lure of making an extra buck from acquaintances and sometimes total strangers who come to hire taxi ostensibly to go to longer destinations at odd hours is proving to be a fatal option for taxi drivers, a fact that Hussain, resident of Kabettu and Govardhan, resident of Urwa did not live to tell. They may not be the last.

K Monappa Bhandary, president of D K Zilla Taximen Mathu Maxicab Association was livid that members were ignoring instructions that are being given repeatedly at each association meeting. "Fatal consequences of this callousness are there for all to see," he told TOI when queried about Hussain and Govardhan. "Members have been often told not to take strangers on taxi trips without informing the park 'pramukh' from where they operate," he said.

Even if they are faced with the inevitable eventuality of undertaking a trip, Bhandary said, the members have been instructed to take the contact details of persons they propose to take, inform other drivers in the park from where they operate, as well as their family members before setting out. Apparently, members are throwing caution to wind and these deaths are needless to state the least, he says. "We will reiterate this to our members again," he said.

City Police Chief Seemanth Kumar Singh said the city police would come out with guidelines to prevent recurrence of such incidents. "We have a strategy in mind," he said without going in to the details, adding, "I will discuss it with my officers and implement it." Observing that the police would require cooperation from associations of taximen, Seemanth said proposed steps could include a system of booking a taxi after verifying antecedents of the person.

While Hussain was murdered and body thrown in to swollen Thunga from a bridge near Thirthahalli, body of Goverdhan was found in a bush near Belman. While police nabbed Hussain's assailants, efforts are on to nab Goverdhan's killers. Common guidelines for taxi men and those transporting BPO/IT employees is something we are considering, Seemanth says. "We will cooperate with police in preventing such incidents," Monappa adds.

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News Network
March 14,2024

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Mangaluru, Mar 14: “Hindutva is my commitment and development is my priority,” said Indian army veteran and entrepreneur Captain Brijesh Chowta after the BJP high command announced a ticket to him from Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency.

Known as a BJP stronghold, Nalin Kumar Kateel has served as the MP of this constituency for the past 15 years.

Soon after the announcement was made, 42-year-old Chowta, who is also the BJP state secretary from Dakshina Kannada constituency, sought the blessings of his parents and went to Shree Sharavu Mahaganapathi Temple and visited the war memorial to offer tributes.

A BSc graduate from St Aloysius College, he completed his executive business Management program from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore.

He was commissioned into the 7th battalion of the 8 Gorkha Rifles and served in counter-insurgency operations in Assam and Manipur and was part of Elite Ghatak team. He also served as the adjutant to the battalion. He has been associated with the BJP since 2013. He is the president of Mangaluru Kambala and organiser of Mangaluru Lit Fest.

“Humbled and grateful to our party seniors led by our commander-in-chief PM Narendra Modi for giving me this opportunity to be our party’s candidate and representative of his work and vision in Dakshina Kannada. I pledge to continue to work with even greater rigour for the welfare of our region and people driven by the mantra of ‘Nation First’. I humbly bow down to all our karyakartas & everyone who stood by me & toiled with me to make this happen. Our task has just begun, as we work towards making Dakshina Kannada the number one in the state,” Captain Chowta said on X.

Kateel welcomes change 

Meanwhile, sitting Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has welcomed the party’s decision to field Capt Brijesh Chowta as the BJP candidate for Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency.

He said the change aligns with the party’s strategy of fostering new talent to broaden its base and activities. He hoped that he will win by a margin of more than 3 lakh votes.

Soon after the list was announced on Wednesday, the three-time MP told reporters that he has brought projects worth about Rs 1 lakh crore during the last 10 years, under the Modi government.

He thanked the party for giving him a big responsibility of leading the party in the state. “I have worked honestly,” he said.

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News Network
March 26,2024

Bengaluru: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has detained two suspects in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case in Bengaluru, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

The preliminary probe has revealed that the two suspects were in direct contact with the suspected bomber.

The NIA sleuths have picked up the suspects from an area in the state capital. However, a statement is yet to be made by the NIA in this regard.

Even as the investigating agencies, both NIA and state special wing CCB teams have launched an extensive search operation in various states, the bomber has remained elusive. The authorities had obtained the bomber’s images and videos from CCTV footage on March 1, soon after the incident.

Sources said that the sleuths were suspecting that the bomber had come from Tamil Nadu and was staying in a neighbouring state for two months before carrying out the blast.

The hair samples of the accused were gathered from the hat of the accused which he abandoned in Bengaluru near a religious place. The authorities have sent the samples for the DNA testing and were hoping for a breakthrough.

The Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast took place on March 1 on the International Technology Park Limited (ITPL) road in the Brookfield area. Low intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was used to carry out the blast and nine persons were injured in the incident.

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News Network
March 16,2024

Mangaluru: In the wake of complaints regarding middlemen menace, sleuths of Lokayukta on Friday, March 15, conducted a raid at the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority. 

The Lokayukta team found unaccounted money and several files, which were not disposed of for a long period.

Lokayukta SP CA Simon said that the Lokayukta has received complaints that middlemen have been interfering in the MUDA office, and files pertaining to the public are not being cleared on time.

A raid that commenced in the evening on March 13, lasted for 18 hours. During the raid, Lokayukta officials found cash in a bag in MUDA office, and also with officials and others. MUDA officials could not inform the source of money found in their office, the SP said.

Further, he said that many people gathered at the MUDA office during the Lokayukta raid, and have raised complaints about the harassment at the urban development authority. “We have gathered evidence for MUDA officials carrying out file disposal processes through brokers on phone calls. The investigation on the MUDA network will be continued,” he said.

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