Dramatic twist in police station attack case; 10 policemen booked

December 21, 2011

Mangalore, December 21: In a dramatic twist in the case of attack of on Sullia police station, 10 police personnel have been booked on charges of 'atrocity' on accused.

The development comes after a delegation of BJP leaders met Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Pratap Reddy urging to take action against the police personnel, who allegedly beat the accused in the custody following the incident of December 14, when members of rightwing group had pelted stones at police station.

Sources said that a case has been registered by Sullia Circle Police Inspector Tharanath against Additional Superintendent of Police, Prabhakar, then-Sullia Sub-Inspector Ravikumar, who has been now transferred to Mangalore), Kadaba SI, Paulpriya Kumar, Puttur Rural SI Anand, Kadaba police constable Palanivelu, police jeep driver Kuriakose, Sullia constable Ramesh and three others. The FIR has been submitted to Sullia court.

The case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Sullia town BJP Shakti Kendra leader and Land Bank President PK Umesh. He was one of the main accused in the attack on police station.

Bowing to the pressure, Dakshina Kannada Superintended of Police Laburam on Tuesday paid a visit to the spot before a counter case was registered against police personnel.

It can be mentioned here that RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar on December 16 in a protest against alleged police atrocity in Sullia warned the police of dire consequence if 'they continued to harass Hindus'.

Back ground

On December 14, a group of people belonging to a rightwing group waylaid a car in which two men and two women were reportedly traveling to Madikeri.

Iqbal, Hameed from Uppala and Prabharani and Shobha from Jharkhand were traveling in the vehicle.

The car was stopped at Jalsoor Gate by the group of over 200 people led by Jalsoor GP member Sanath Adkar. After questioning the couples, the group handed them over to the police in the night.

The police retained men for interrogation and sent the women to remand home.

Later, altercation broke out between ZP Member Naveen Rai and the police as the cops questioned the public's right to stop a vehicle and question the individuals.

This led to BJP members shouting out slogans against the police in front of the Station. Stones were pelted at the station. Police had to wield lathi to get situation under control.

The very next day police had arrested 15 persons including P K Umesh, Dinesh Kumar, Guruprasad, Kiran Kumar and town panchayat vice president Prakash Hegde. They were later released on bail.

Police personnel, who got injured during attack on police station

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Respiratory illnesses rise in Karnataka’s capital as air quality deteriorates

News Network

February 5,2026

Bengaluru: As air quality continues to worsen across several parts of the city, hospitals in Bengaluru are reporting a steady rise in patients suffering from respiratory illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), health officials and doctors said.

Data from the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust (SAST) shows that 3,891 patients received treatment for respiratory ailments between April and November 2024. The figure rose to 4,187 during the same period in 2025.

Private hospitals, too, are witnessing a 10–15 per cent year-on-year increase in such cases.

While doctors caution that the rise cannot be attributed solely to air pollution, a significant number of patients are non-smokers with no prior history of respiratory disease.

“Nearly 70 per cent of the patients we see are non-smokers with no previous respiratory issues. When other causes are ruled out, air pollution emerges as the most likely factor,” said Dr Manjunath PH, consultant interventional pulmonologist at a hospital in Kengeri.

Doctors noted that patient footfall spikes during the winter months and around Deepavali, when air quality typically worsens.

“There is a clear correlation between poor air quality and the rise in cases. People commonly present with persistent cough, breathlessness and irritation of the respiratory tract, indicating the impact of polluted air on their health,” said Dr Sheetal Chaurasia, consultant in pulmonary medicine at a private hospital in Whitefield.

Dr Chaurasia added that respiratory tract infections are also on the rise.

“Poor air quality leads to chronic airway inflammation, making the airways more vulnerable to infections. We are seeing an increase in both upper and lower respiratory tract infections,” she said.

Patients with pre-existing respiratory conditions remain the worst affected.

“For those already diagnosed with respiratory illnesses, deteriorating air quality significantly worsens the condition. Both the frequency and severity of attacks increase sharply,” said Dr Vandana P, a pulmonologist at a hospital on Bannerghatta Road.

Doctors also flagged a worrying trend of rising respiratory problems among younger adults and children.

To reduce exposure, they advised people to wear masks while travelling on two-wheelers or autos and ensure adequate ventilation at home to minimise indoor air pollution.

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