Motor sports speeding ahead in city

January 8, 2012

Mangalore, January 8: The weekend morning saw excited youngsters, mostly boys, descending on to a racing track at Bharat High School Grounds, Ullal, near here, venue for Maruti Suzuki Auto Cross 2012, a national event organised by the Mangalore Motor Sports Association.

It was the second event of Maruti Suzuki Autocross as the first was held on October 15 and 16, 2011.

“Distance of the Dirt Track was approximately 1KM, for two wheelers 5 to 7 laps per class. For four wheelers 2 laps for all classes and electronic laser time was implemented for autocross, said Sudhir BK, president, Mangalore Motor Sports Association, which consists of 12 members, mostly former rallyists.

More than a hundred rallyists from various places including Bangalore, Mysore, Mudigere, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Coorg and Shimoga took part in the event.

The main feature of the event was the participation of Baban Khan from Bangalore, Arror Vikram Rao, Aroor Arjun Rao, Dean Mascarenhas Top Team from Mudigere, and two wheelers Siddanth Nayak, Mohammed Adnan, Sudeepan and Shruptha Padival.

By 10 a.m., the track came alive with the sound of two and four wheelers. Announcements requesting participants to “Report to the starting point,” or to track marshals to take position with the flags were made. Rallyists buckled on helmets, donned gloves, chest numbers, and gear to cover their knees, shins and elbows.

At the beginning, the bikers were tense, all set to speed through the track for the qualifying as well as the final rounds. Once flagged off, dust flew as the competing two-wheelers accelerated amidst the smell of petrol and rubber. While the number of participants reduced from qualifying round to the final round the enthusiasm and curiosity increased.

There was one stretch facing the rallyists, which most of them negotiated when they begun. But while returning from the laps, it seemed to be a tough spot with one biker falling down while negotiating it. As the rallyists were on the track, continual requests were made to spectators, especially children, to watch from a safe distance and not to stand at the turnings.

“Too many pebbles. It's not easy, one slip and you are out of the race,” said one of the participants, after returning from the race. “The track design is lovely and experience matters,” he said.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. were the main Sponsors of this event. Co-Sponsored by Castrol, JK tyres, K and N Filter, IMG Sports and Mandovi Motors. Hospitality Sponsored by Hotel Gold Finch.

ALBUM

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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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