Daily wage worker brutally beaten up by police on theft charge

September 20, 2011

Belthangady, September 20: In a heartrending case of police torture, a daily wage worker from Naravi has been abused by the police in Venur under the pretext of an inquiry.

Jaya Poojary has been undergoing treatment at the Government Wenlock Hospital in Mangalore since last Wednesday.

A theft had been reported at a home in Naravi on Monday. A complaint had been registered at the police station with regard to the incident. The police picked up Jaya Poojary, who was working as coolie at Shankar Narayan Bhat's home and was subjected to physical harassment at the police stationi.

“They wanted me to accept that I had stolen the money. Show us where is the money?” the police kept asking me even as the assault continued throughout the day.

In the evening the police let off Poojary after his relatives came to the station inquiring about him. On reaching home Jaya poojary complained of pain and sickness. He was taken to the Belthangady government hospital from where he was shifted to Wenlock hospital for further treatment.

His face remains swollen after the police assault. As he has been attacked with cane all over the body he cannot stand on his own. He is also facing difficulty in discharging urine. “Two constables kept beating me up,” says Jaya Poojary.

Meanhwile, the Venur police arrested a suspect in connection with the theft. Following this, the police have contacted Jaya Poojary and warned him not to reveal anything to the outside world. “We will fix you in some other case if you try reveal the atrocities,” he said.

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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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