Residents stage stir against continued illegal sand mining

Brahmavar, December 27: Residents of Kukkude in Haradi village who had brought issue of illegal sand mining going on in the region to the notice of authorities earlier, staged a stir on Monday as their pleas have continuously fallen on deaf ears.

The protesters said that sand mining in Suvarna River at Kukkude was stopped three years ago but now some individuals have started mining without seeking permission from the authorities.

They said that one year ago the region had got concrete and neatly asphalted road but this has been damaged due to frequent plying of heavy vehicles carrying sand.

“We are living amidst dust and sand all the time. The roads are narrow and hence

commuting on this road has become difficult because the heavy vehicles carrying sand always cause block on the road,” said a local resident.

The residents are fed up of the constant movement of vehicles from 4 am to 9 pm and sometimes even beyond. “Houses and coconut plantations are getting damaged.

The parties are carrying out mining blatantly despite the fact that region comes under Coastal Regulation Zone,” protesters said adding that the mangroves, hich were once growing lavishly in the region have disappeared due to mining activities.

The local residents complain of floods during rainy season, which inundates houses.

“The authorities should ban mining of sand in the region,” the residents demanded. The residents approached local resident Gopal Mendon who according to the protesters is one of the persons involved in sand mining. When they urged him to stop mining in the area, Mendon reportedly brought out sharp weapons to assault the protesters.

The raged protesters after a heated discussion with the sand miners lodged a complaint with Brahmavar police.

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HC refuses to quash probe against Mangaluru WhatsApp admin over offensive posts

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an investigation against a WhatsApp group administrator accused of allowing the circulation of obscene and offensive images depicting Hindutva politicians and idols in 2021.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that, prima facie, the ingredients of the offence under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code were made out. “The offence under Section 295A of the IPC is met to every word of its ingredient, albeit prima facie,” the judge said.

The petitioner, Sirajuddin, a resident of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had challenged the FIR registered against him at the CEN (Cyber, Economics and Narcotics) police station, Mangaluru, for offences under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 295A relates to punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

According to the complaint filed by K Jayaraj Salian, also a resident of Belthangady taluk, he received a WhatsApp group link from an unknown source and was added to the group after accessing it. The group reportedly had six administrators and around 250 participants, where obscene and offensive images depicting Hindu deities and certain political figures were allegedly circulated repeatedly.

Sirajuddin was arrested in connection with the case and later released on bail on February 16, 2021. He argued before the court that he was being selectively targeted, while other administrators—including the creator of the group—were neither arrested nor investigated. He also contended that the Magistrate could not have taken cognisance of the offence under Section 295A without prior sanction under Section 196(1) of the CrPC.

Rejecting the argument, Justice Nagaprasanna held that prior sanction is required only at the stage of taking cognisance, and not at the stage of registration of the crime or during investigation.

The judge noted that the State had produced the entire investigation material before the court. “A perusal of the material reveals depictions of Hindu deities in an extraordinarily obscene, demeaning and profane manner. The content is such that its reproduction in a judicial order would itself be inappropriate,” the court said, adding that the material, on its face, had the tendency to outrage religious feelings and disturb communal harmony.

Observing that the case was still at the investigation stage, the court said it could not interdict the probe at this juncture. However, it expressed concern that the investigating officer appeared to have not proceeded uniformly against all administrators. The court clarified that if the investigation revealed the active involvement of any member in permitting the circulation of such content, they must also be proceeded against.

“At this investigative stage, any further observation by this Court would be unnecessary,” the order concluded.

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