Puttur: Congress leader Muhammad Hatta dies at 67

The Ministry of External Affairs has received a letter from the Karnataka government requesting the cancellation of the diplomatic passport of suspended Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, official sources said on Thursday. However, the diplomatic passport has not yet been canceled.

The Karnataka government's request to the Narendra Modi-led union government came after Prajwal Revanna, facing multiple charges of sexually abusing women, fled the country using his diplomatic passport last month.

"The MEA has received a letter from the Karnataka government for the cancellation of the diplomatic passport in respect of MP Prajwal Revanna. This is being processed," official sources said.

Prajwal, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the center of a political storm after hundreds of explicit videos allegedly featuring him leaked late last month. The 33-year-old MP faces multiple cases of rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, and criminal intimidation.

Prajwal, the NDA nominee for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, reportedly fled to Germany on April 27, hours before the first case was filed against him.

The Karnataka police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) is now probing the high-profile case, and a lookout notice and a Blue Corner notice have been issued to track Revanna down.

In the wake of the allegations, Prajwal Revanna said in a social media post on May 1, "As I am not in Bangalore to attend the enquiry, I have communicated to C.I.D Bangalore through my Advocate. The truth will prevail soon."

His father, HD Revanna, a JDS MLA and son of HD Deve Gowda, is also accused in cases of molestation and kidnapping. He was arrested earlier this month and is now out on bail.

The veteran leader faces a case in which a man has alleged that he was involved in kidnapping his mother, who worked as a house help at his home for six years. The complainant alleged that a video showing Prajwal Revanna sexually abusing his mother leaked recently, and his mother went missing soon after.

HD Revanna, however, has termed the case a "political conspiracy."

Udupi: A teenage boy, identified as Nithin, ended his life by suicide after reportedly being humiliated by the head teacher of his school. The incident occurred two days ago, and the police have yet to take action against the accused.

Nithin, 16, a resident of Shiroor in Byndoor, had gone to his government high school on May 18 to collect his Transfer Certificate (TC) after completing his SSLC. However, not only was his request for the TC denied, but he was also allegedly insulted by the head teacher.

On May 20, Nithin informed his father, Nagaraj, about his intention to visit the school to collect the TC. Tragically, between 12 noon and 12:30 pm, when no one was at home, Nithin hanged himself. In his death note, he accused the head teacher of insulting him and refusing to issue the TC, which led to his decision to end his life.

A case has been registered by the Byndoor police under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC. Nithin's family members staged a protest in front of the Byndoor police station on Tuesday, demanding the arrest of those responsible for his suicide.

DySP of Kundapura Belliappa, probationary IPS officer Dr. Harsha Priyamvada, and Byndoor CI Savitra Tez held discussions with the public, assuring them that investigations are underway and that the case is being taken seriously. They promised that a suitable report would be published within a week following further investigation and interrogation. They also assured that stringent action would be taken against the culprits if sufficient evidence is found.

Village elders, social leaders, and locals provided support to Nithin's grieving family. His mortal remains were later taken home for the final rites.

The VTU Mangaluru division inter-collegiate football tournament was inaugurated on May 22, 2023, at P.A. College of Engineering, Nadupadavu. The inaugural ceremony was graced by Mr. Abdullah, a renowned footballer and businessman, who served as the chief guest and initiated the tournament with a ceremonial kick-off.

Dr Ramis M.K., the Principal of P.A. College of Engineering, highlighted the significance of student participation in sports, especially football, underscoring elements such as player coordination, strategic planning, team spirit, skill development, and techniques.

The ceremony was also attended by several notable figures, including Mr. Sharfuddin P. K.  Assistant General Manager of Campus, PAET; Dr. Sayyad Ameen Ahammad,  Dean of Student Affairs (PAET) and Dr. Sharmila Kumari, Vice Principal of P.A. College of Engineering; Mr. Niyaz Khan from the HR department of PAET; and Dr. Iqbal, Director of Physical Education, who delivered the welcome address. The event was anchored by Prof. Salim, Department of Electronics & Communication. 

Seventeen teams from the VTU Mangalore Division is participating in this esteemed tournament, demonstrating sportsmanship and competitive spirit among the colleges.