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 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
November 26,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 26: Assembly Speaker and local MLA U.T. Khader has initiated a high-level push to resolve one of Mangaluru’s longest-standing traffic headaches: the narrow, high-density stretch of National Highway-66 between Nanthoor and Talapady.

He announced on Tuesday that a formal proposal has been submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) seeking approval to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the widening of this crucial corridor.

The plan specifically aims to expand the existing 45-meter road width to a full 60 meters, coupled with the construction of dedicated service roads. Khader highlighted that land for a 60-meter highway was originally acquired during the initial four-laning project, but only 45 meters were developed, leading to a perpetual bottleneck.

"With vehicle density rising sharply, the expansion has become unavoidable," Khader stated, stressing that the upgrade is essential for ensuring smoother traffic flow and improving safety at the city's main entry and exit points.

The stretch between Nanthoor and Talapady is a vital link on the busy Kochi-Panvel coastal highway and connects to major city junctions. The move to utilize the previously acquired land for the full 60-meter width is seen as a necessary measure to catch up with the region's rapid vehicular growth and prevent further traffic gridlocks.

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Media Release
November 24,2025

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Sharjah, UAE: Ayisha Basheer Esra, a talented young writer hailing from Aramboor in Dakshina Kannada’s Sullia taluk, marked a significant milestone in her burgeoning literary career with the launch of her debut novel, The Betrayal of the Kingdom, at the Sharjah International Book Fair. The prestigious event, recognized as the world’s largest book fair, provided a fitting stage for the unveiling of Esra’s work.

The official release ceremony was conducted by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director of the Religious Affairs Office of the Sharjah Government and a distinguished member of the royal family, underscoring the significance of Esra’s achievement. Mrs. Lini Shivaprasad, Principal of GEMS Millennium School, Sharjah, had the honor of receiving the first copy of the novel.

The event was graced by the presence of numerous distinguished guests, reflecting the widespread recognition of Esra’s literary talent and the anticipation surrounding her debut novel. Among the notable attendees were Syed Panakkad Munawwarali Shihab Tangal, Dr. Mariam Al Shenasi, the UAE’s renowned writer and Head of Dar Al Yasmin Publications, Dr. K. K. N. Kurup, Retired Vice Chancellor of Calicut University and Historian, Sharjah Businessman Shamsuddin Bin Mohideen, Nizar Talangara, President of the Sharjah Indian Association, V. T Salim, Director of Silver Home Real Estate, Munir Al Wafa, MD of Lipi Publication Akbar, and other esteemed individuals.

At the remarkably young age of eight, Esra has already established herself as a prolific writer, authoring and publishing collections of short stories in addition to her newly released full-length novel. Her dedication to writing and her exceptional talent have positioned her as one of the youngest authors to achieve such literary success. 

Esra is the daughter of Basheer and Haseena, residents of Aramboor, Sullia, and currently a student at Sharjah’s GEMS Millennium School. Her early accomplishments serve as an inspiration to aspiring young writers and a testament to the power of nurturing creativity from a young age.

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