Bengaluru: Blast outside Congress MLA’s house kills one

coastaldigest.com news network
May 19, 2019

Bengaluru, May 19: A middle aged man was killed in a blast outside the residence of Bengaluru’s Rajarajeshwari Nagar Congress MLA Munirathna on Sunday morning. The police are yet to ascertain the nature of the blast.

The deceased, Venkatesh, 45, was resident at the Dhobighat and was working as a washerman. His daughter was working at the MLA's house.

Venkatesh was talking on the phone in front of the house when the blast took place at around 9.15 am on Sunday. His body was torn apart due to the effect of the blast. The windows and doors of the houses nearby were also damaged in the incident.

Vyalikaval police rushed to the spot and conducted mahazar. City police commissioner T Suneel Kumar and Central DCP D Devaraj also visited the spot and collected details. The area has been cordoned off and an FLS team visited the spot and examined the nature of the explosion.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the explosion took place in the parking area and they are yet to confirm whether it was an accidental blast.

"A crater has been formed at the place where the explosion took place. A person has been killed. A blue plastic packet was also found at the spot. Our investigations are on," Bengaluru police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar told reporters after inspecting the spot.

The area was cordoned off after the incident and sniffer dogs deployed.

Two forensic experts rushed to the spot following the explosion and collected some material, police said.

They said it was premature to arrive at any conclusion till the forensic experts submitted their report

Munirathna said it would be wrong to jump to any conclusion until the police investigation was complete because it would give room to unwanted rumours.

"Let us wait for the police investigation to be completed," he added.

The MLA's house is situated on 11th B Cross in Vyalikaval. The family members of Munirathna and his neighbours were in a shock after they heard the loud noise.

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.
News Network
March 10,2024

muzaffar.jpg

Sayyid Abdul Rahiman Bafaki Thangal Foundation has alleged that the post of Mangalore University vice-chancellor was denied to eminent professor and scholar Muzaffar Assadi despite his name being on top of the list sent by the govt.

Foundation general secretary A S Ebrahim Kareem Kadaba told reporters here on Saturday that they would seek opinion from experts and explore possibilities of challenging the appointment of VC for Mangaluru.

“The state cabinet had sent separate lists with three names each for the appointment of VCs of universities in the state. Scholar Assadi’s name was on top of the list of candidates for MU. However, prof Assadi’s name was ignored while filling the post. We suspect it as a conspiracy to hide the irregularities taking place in the university for the past several years,” Ebrahim said, adding Prof Assadi’s name was not considered for the post of Kuvempu University VC too, though his name was recommended for the post.

MU, which was founded in 1980 with prof Sheikh Ali as the first VC, had obtained Grade A in the NAAC ranking. 

However, the rank has now fallen to Grade B. Meanwhile, the university has also been facing a financial crunch in such a way that it is facing difficulties in paying salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff. Further, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out a raid at the university recently, 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.
News Network
March 11,2024

candymanhoori.jpg

The Karnataka government on Monday prohibited the use of artificial colours in 'Gobi Manchurian' and 'Cotton Candy' in the state, citing presence of cancer causing chemicals. The state government has also said that its usage can cause adverse effects on public health, especially children. 

Violation of the ban can lead to imprisonment and fine, said the food safety and quality department.

Samples of Gobi Manchurian and Cotton Candy sold across Karnataka were collected by the department and analysed in laboratories. 

Based on the results, the Food Safety Commissioner ordered a ban on usage of any artificial colours in preparation of 'Gobi Manchurian'. While for 'Cotton Candy', the Commissioner prohibited the use of artificial colours, like 'Rhodamine B', over and above the prescribed limits. 

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that banned chemicals are being used in many food products. 

"We have done a survey across Karnataka and found that these chemicals (Rhodamine-B food colouring agent) are still being used so we are issuing another notice that nothing which is banned should be used and if used strict action will be taken," he added.

The order stated that "prolonged usage of artificial colours in food and its consumption can lead to deadly diseases like cancer". So, the public has been advised not to use any artificial colours in food or to use them in limited quantities.

According to an official, in case of any violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act – 2006 rule 59, the department can file a case in court which can lead to imprisonment from seven years to life term and fine up to ₹10 lakh.

In February this year, Tamil Nadu also banned the sale of cotton candy after finding Rhodamine B and textile dye in it.

What is Rhodamine B?

Rhodamine B is synthetic compound and a fluorescent dye. It is commonly used in microscopy, flow cytometry, dye lasers and fluorescence imaging. It is also used as a colouring agent in products like inks and cosmetics. It is pink to reddish-brown powder or crystals.

However, it is usually associated with health concerns and regulatory restrictions. Some reports suggest prolonged exposure to this chemical may make it carcinogenic for humans.

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.
News Network
March 15,2024

water.jpg

Bengaluru, Mar 15: Work from home to using toilets in malls, residents of India's 'Silicon Valley' Bengaluru are exploring all options to combat the unprecedented water crisis. People across various neighbourhoods have been forced to order food from restaurants and take bath on alternate days due to the water scarcity.

Even those in high-rise apartments equipped with water harvesting systems now find themselves reliant on water tankers for basic needs, leading to stringent usage restrictions.

Eateries are mulling over use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water.

Educational institutions are also feeling the pinch. Recently, a coaching centre in the city asked its students to attend classes online due to an 'emergency' for a week. Similarly, a school on Bannerghatta Road was also closed, asking students to attend classes online just like they did during the Covid pandemic.

Residents have come with up new methods to try and conserve water. With temperature rising, it is difficult to avoid a daily shower but they are left with no option but to take bath on alternative days, said Sujatha, a resident of KR Puram.

"What to do? Clean vessels, cook food, wash clothes....so, we have started using paper plates, that way we have cut down on our water usage. And we order food twice a week. We are using the washing machine only once in a week now," she said.

Some others have resorted to visiting a mall to take a shower or use the toilet facilities.

Lakshmi V, an IT professional living in Singasandra, has been requesting her firm to allow WFH option so that she and her family can temporarily shift to her native place in Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu until the situation becomes better.

"If the situation persists, we are thinking of seeking a work from home option. We are planning to move to our native place in Tamil Nadu temporarily till rain arrives here," she said.

Bengaluru primarily gets its water supply from two sources - Cauvery river and groundwater. For most non-drinking uses, recycled water processed by sewage treatment plants is used. With no rain for a while now, the primary sources have been stretched to their limits. Bengaluru needs 2,600-2,800 million litres of water daily, and the current supply is half of what's required. The result is a daily struggle for the city's residents.

The brunt is also being borne by people living in the outskirts of Bengaluru, especially in 110 villages that were merged with the city in 2007.

The crisis has also turned into a political battle between the state's ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP with Lok Sabha just weeks away. While the BJP has held several protests blaming the government, the Congress has accused the BJP-ruled federal government of not providing financial assistance to drought-hit Karnataka.

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.