CD photographer injured in cracker burst at CREDAI convention; Minister visits hospital

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar )

August 25, 2012

Mangalore, August 25: A photographer of 'Coastaldigest.com' and 'Coastal Mirror' sustained eye injuries due to cracker burst on the stage at TMA Pai Auditorium in the city on Saturday.

The incident occurred when photographer Suresh Vamanjoor had been covering the inaugural ceremony of 'StateCon 2012' convention of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar.

Crackers filled with coloured paper bits exploded with force at the very spot where the group of media photographers was capturing the official inauguration by Mr Shettar.

Although the burst took all the photographers by surprise, two among them were unlucky to sustain injuries. While Mr Vamanjoor sustained eye injuries, Sudharkar Yermal of 'Vijaya Karnataka' Kannada daily also sustained minor injuries below his ear.

Mr Vamanjoor was immediately rushed to an eye hospital in Ballalbagh and later shifted to Government Wenlock Hospital.

As soon as the news reached, Minister for Karnaraka Urban Development Suresh Kumar and Deputy Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly N Yogish Bhat visited the hospital and assured to take action against the concerned people.

Mr Vamanjoor told the minister that the burst had taken place even after he and other photographers had asked the event manager not to do so.

The minister, who was also present in the inaugural ceremony of the CREDAI convention, said that he had not been aware of the cracker burst plan. He requested the doctor on-duty at Wenlock Hospital to send him the details by Monday.

Both the photographers filed a complaint with Barke Police Station against the organisers.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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