Woman locked in house for four years rescued

June 4, 2013

Bangalore, Jan 4: A 35-year-old woman, allegedly locked up in a room by her parents for about four years, was rescued by police from her residence in the city on Tuesday.

Hemavathi, a graduate in Commerce, was found in a traumatized state when police visited the house after receiving a tip off.

She was lying on the floor looking unkempt and not even properly clothed, police said.

She was later shifted to National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences for treatment.

Looking dazed, Hemavathi told reporters she felt unbearable hunger and got food sometimes.

Rebutting the allegations that his daughter had been illegally confined, Hemavathi's father Renukappa said she had a rheumatic problem but was not taking medicines.

Her brother Somashekar said Hemavathi was not under 'house arrest' and had health problems for which she had undergone treatment.

Health minister U T Khader, who visited the woman, said the priority was to get her treated and restore her health.

On allegations that Hemavathi was put under "house arrest" as her parents were opposed to her marrying a person of her choice, Khader said the health department officials will look into it.

"Let her get well. We will see," the minister said.

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Elusive bamboo shrimp resurfaces in Mangaluru estuary after 70 years

News Network

December 7,2025

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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