Man found dead in Honnavar amidst communal tension; Bhat, Karandlaje to visit

coastaldigest.com news network
December 8, 2017

Bhatkal, Dec 8: Tension prevailed in Honnavar town on Friday after the body of a 21-year-old man, who went missing after Wednesday's communal clashes, was found floating in a lake.

The city had witnessed several incidents of violence on Wednesday evening when a minor traffic accident led to mobs going on a rampage across the city. 

According to sources, the deceased has been identified as Paresh Mesta, a resident of Honnavar, who was found in the Shetty lake behind Shani temple. Passersby found the body and informed the police.

Police said that initial examination did not reveal if it was a case of murder or suicide. In the meantime, as the news spread, there was a massive deployment of police to ensure that the violence did not flare up. Police have also imposed restrictions on the movement of vehicles in the town.

BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje, who was in Udupi for a party function, said that she would be heading to Honnavar. Sources said that RSS leader Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat would also visit the town.

Honnavar falls under the Uttara Kannada Lok Sabha constituency represented by union minister Anant Kumar Hegde, who is also a hardcore Hindutva leader known for his provocative remarks against religious minorities.

60 arrested after Wednesday’s clash

A minor accident between an autorickshaw and a motorbike belonging to persons of different communities led to the communal clashes on Wednesday night in Honnavar.

Several people were injured as rampaging mobs attacked each other with sticks, pelted stones on rivals and also houses and commercial establishments in town.

The auto driver allegedly attacked the bike rider after an altercation. Soon after, some youths belonging to a particular community gathered near the bus stand and began targeting shops belonging to the other community. Two shop owners were seriously injured. Several others sustained injuries.

The mob attacked tempos and auto rickshaws parked near the bus stand, and pelted stones on about 15 tempos and damaged them.

After this, a mob belonging to the other community took to the streets and attacked houses and shops. Groups attacked each other with rods, sticks and stones. Police were outnumbered as a majority of the police force had been sent to Karwar on duty, where the chief minister was on official tour on Wednesday night.

Soon, police reinforcements were rushed to the town and about 60 persons were arrested and shifted to Karwar. Locals alleged that police entered their houses at night, beat up women and children and arrested the men.

Hindutva organizations gave a bandh call on Thursday, alleging that only people belonging to their community had been arrested. All shops and business establishments remained closed on Thursday.

Also Read: Hindu youth killed by ‘Muslim goons’; cops tried to cover up: Karandlaje

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News Network
December 2,2025

DKSsiddu.jpg

Bengaluru: 'Nati koli saaru' (country chicken curry) considered one of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s favourites along with steaming hot idlis was on the breakfast menu at Deputy CM D K Shivakumar’s residence on Tuesday, according to official sources.

The spread also included 'nati koli' fry, vada and pongal, among other items, they said.

In an apparent show of unity, Siddaramaiah visited Shivakumar’s residence for breakfast, just days after the two leaders shared a meal amid a simmering power tussle in the state Congress.

Siddaramaiah drove to the Deputy CM’s residence in Sadashivanagar, where he was received by Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh, who is a former Congress MP.

Suresh and Kunigal MLA H D Ranganath, a relative of Shivakumar, joined them for breakfast, which featured a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Speaking to reporters later, Siddaramaiah said Shivakumar had invited him during his visit to the CM’s residence for breakfast on Saturday.

Asked about the difference between the two meals, the chief minister said, "At his (Shivakumar’s) house it was non-veg, while at my house it was veg. He is a vegetarian, I am a non-vegetarian. I had not prepared non-veg. I told DK to get chicken from the village as you won’t get the original in Bengaluru."

Shivakumar said he had initially invited Siddaramaiah to his residence, but the CM had suggested visiting his place first and reciprocating later. "It was a vegetarian breakfast at the CM’s house on Saturday," he noted.

"Today, I invited him (the CM) to my house. He enjoyed the breakfast, which had his Mysuru taste," Shivakumar added. At this point, Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar’s wife is also from Mysuru.

Saturday’s breakfast at Siddaramaiah’s official residence, held as part of efforts by the Congress high command to ease tensions in the leadership dispute between the two, reportedly included idlis and sambar, according to official sources.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

•    A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

•    The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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