'Mangalore nurse criticised hospital staff in suicide note'

December 14, 2012

nurse

London, December 14: A Mangalore-origin nurse, found dead after a hoax call to the hospital treating Princess Kate, has criticised her senior colleagues in one of the three emotional suicide notes she left behind, a media report said today.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, wrote three emotional notes revealing the anguish that led to her suicide after she was duped by two Australian DJs into believing they were royalty, the Daily Mirror reported.

In one, the distraught mum-of-two outlines how she struggled to come to terms with the prank call by Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian to the hospital where a pregnant Kate was being treated for severe morning sickness.

But in another she criticises senior colleagues at the King Edward VII hospital over her treatment after the pair had pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles asking about the duchess's condition.

It is believed the nurse's suicide note has left her grieving family furious, with husband Ben Barboza understood to want an inquiry into the hospital.

A source close to Saldanha's family was quoted by the paper as saying: "One of the letters, which is the longest, deals with the hospital and is critical in its tone. Needless to say, Ben wants a full inquiry into what happened, and he wants to make sure the truth comes out. Within the letter Jacintha calls into question some of the treatment she received at the hospital."

Scotland Yard detectives are examining the notes, as well as interviewing Saldanha's friends, family and colleagues at the hospital. The family have been provided with

transcripts of all three notes.

Saldanha's third suicide letter is more of a practical one which deals with her funeral arrangements.

Senior Labour MP Keith Vaz, who is working on behalf of her relatives, said last night: "The truth of this matter has to come out for the sake of her family".

Saldanha, from Bristol, was found hanged last Friday at the nurses' home where she was staying, the opening of her inquest at Westminster coroner's court was told yesterday.

The contents of the letters were not read out at the inquest, however the family source insisted they want the truth to be made public about what happened.

Detective Chief Inspector James Harman of the Metropolitan police told the hearing: "Jacintha Saldanha was found by a colleague and a member of security hanging from a scarf attached to a wardrobe. There were also some injuries to her wrists."

"At this time there are no suspicious circumstances. Two notes were found at the scene and another note recovered from her belongings," Harman told the hearing.


Coroner's officer Linda Martin said unsuccessful attempts were made to resuscitate Jacintha, who had a daughter, Lisha, 14, and 16-year-old son Junal.


Her body was identified by Ben, 49, and a postmortem was carried out on Tuesday.

Harman said police in New South Wales had been asked to obtain statements from Greig and Christian. Friends and family of the victim were being interviewed and emails and any phone calls made investigated.

Coroner Fiona Wilcox fixed a provisional date for a full inquest on March 26 next year, which would have been Saldanha's 47th birthday.

Wilcox told relatives in court: "I would like to pass on my sympathy to you and her family and all those who have been touched by this terribly tragic death."


Vaz said Saldanha's relatives will hold a memorial service for her in London. He did not reveal the venue but said the event would be for "family and friends all over the country" to celebrate her life.

It is understood the service will be at Westminster Cathedral.

Meanwhile, the King Edward VII hospital pledged to carry on helping Ben and other relatives.

"The hospital has met with the family and will continue to support them for as long as is required," a spokeswoman said.

She added that a senior member of staff has been assigned to "comfort" them.



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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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