Bajpe landslide: Dalit organisations demand probe billing it Dalit atrocity case

June 20, 2013

Mangalore, June 20: Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS) had demanded comprehensive probe into the collapse of house due to landslide, which killed four persons, at Bajpe.

The organization has said that the incident must not be considered as a natural disaster.

Addressing media persons at a news conference in Mangalore on Thursday, Ashok Konchady, District Convenor, Dalita Abhivraddhi Vedike, said that illegal commercial complexes and shops have been constructed in Thotlaguri's Dalit colony in Bajpe.

“A total of 18 dalit families have been living there from the past 20 years on 3 acres of government land. Some players of land mafia, constructed commercial complexes in the land and encroached upon lands belonging to Dalits. In spite of several appeals to the district administration as well as the Gram Panchayat, no action was taken against such complexes and shops which are running without licenses. The landslide issue must not be looked at as a mere natural disaster and a high level probe must be ordered into the matter. The case must be considered as a Dalit atrocity case and officials found guilty must be punished”, he said.

The compensation promised to the victims of the tragedy is inadequate and the amount must be increased to Rs. 5 lakh, Mr. Konchady said, while demanding that a good quality renovated house be built at the spot to go with all basic facilities like water, electricity and roads in the area. The complete cost of treatment of the victims must be taken care by the government and survivors must be given government jobs as a humanitarian gesture, he urged.

Responding to a query on the district administration's decision to construct houses for the victims in Porkodi area, Mr. Konchady said that although they welcome the move, it is their appeal to the government to not overlook the encroachments and illegal occupancy in Dalit colony of Thotlaguri.

If their demands are not met, a united protest by all Dalit organizations will be held, he said.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Post-Sabarimala pilgrimage drinking party turns fatal in Udupi; youth killed in midnight brawl

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.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

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.

Comments