Nine shot dead in UP over property dispute

Agencies
July 17, 2019

Sonbhadra/Lucknow, Jul 17: A village head and his supporters allegedly opened fire on a rival group in a land dispute in Sonbhadra, killing nine people, including three women, and leaving 19 injured on Wednesday, police said.

The land in the district’s Ghorawal area earlier belonged to an IAS officer and he had sold it to village head Yagya Dutt, who wanted to take its possession, Uttar Pradesh DGP O P Singh told PTI.

When Dutt reached the spot with his henchmen in 10 to 12 tractors, local villagers tried to stop them from taking over the land, police said.

Those accompanying him then showered a volley of bullets on the villagers, killing nine of them.

Police arrested Girijesh and Vimlesh, two nephews of the village head, and are trying to trace him as well.

A house-to-house search is underway to nab those involved in the shootout, police said.

"We have also alerted the Madhya Pradesh police and, if needed, action against the IAS officer will also be initiated," the DGP said.

Sonbhadra is the second largest district in Uttar Pradesh and is the only one in the country sharing its boundary with four other states -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattishgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar.

The land dispute had been festering for some time and police said they had initiated the process of attaching the property.

The incident, the bloodiest clash over land in recent years in the state, comes just a day before the Monsoon Session of the state assembly begins.

The opposition has been criticising the BJP government state over law and order in the state.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Director General of Police to personally monitor the case and ensure action against the culprits, a government spokesperson said.

The chief minister also directed that Commissioner, Mirzapur, and Additional Director General (Varanasi zone) to jointly investigate the cause of the clash and fix responsibility within 24 hours.

The condition of some of the 19 injured was said to be critical.

The spokesperson said Adityanath has offered his condolences to the families of those killed.

Inspector General (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar said the clash took place in a remote spot under the Ghorawal police station area.

The gram pradhan had purchased the 90 bighas of land two years back, he said.

A police team led by the Sonbhadra superintendent of police also reached the spot, Kumar said.

Two men were arrested and the situation immediately brought under control, he said.

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News Network
November 22,2025

The Karnataka government has announced a 50% rebate on pending traffic and transport fines. The discount is available from November 21 to December 12.

The rebate applies to all traffic e-challans and violation cases booked by the RTO between 1991–92 and 2019–20. Officials clarified that the offer is not applicable to pending tax dues and is restricted only to traffic-violation fines.

Across Karnataka, more than 4 lakh RTO cases remain pending, including those involving transport vehicles. While thousands of vehicle owners have already cleared their dues, the department expects to generate substantial revenue through this limited-period rebate.

How to Pay and Avail the Discount

There are three ways to check and pay your pending fines:

1. Through Mobile Apps
Available on both Play Store and App Store:
•    Karnataka State Police (KSP) app
•    KarnatakaOne app
•    ASTraM app

Steps:
•    Enter your vehicle number in any of the above apps
•    Verify the photo/details of your vehicle
•    Pay the fine with the 50% discount applied

2. Visit a Traffic Police Station

You can pay your pending fine at any nearby traffic police station.

3. Visit the Traffic Management Centre (TMC)

•    Location: First Floor, Infantry Road, near Indian Express, Bengaluru

Transport Commissioner Yogeesh A M said, “We don't issue e-challans, so there's no online payment system.”

The department estimates ₹52 crore in pending RTO fines up to March 2020. “With the 50% rebate, we expect to collect around ₹25 crore if all dues are cleared,” he added.

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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 24,2025

Mangaluru, Nov 24: The original departure time of 11.10 pm was a distant memory for scores of Dammam-bound passengers at Mangaluru International Airport last Friday night, as their Air India Express flight was abruptly cancelled at the eleventh hour, sparking hours of frustration and chaos.

The flight, IX 885, initially scheduled to depart at 11.10 pm on November 22, was subject to two back-to-back reschedules—first pushed to 11.45 pm and then significantly postponed to 1.40 am—before the final, crushing announcement of cancellation was made. For the travellers, many of whom are likely expatriate workers with tight schedules, the last-minute change marked the beginning of a distressing ordeal.

"There was no drinking water, no food, and absolutely no proper guidance. We were left stranded like refugees," complained a stranded passenger.

According to multiple passenger accounts, the airline's ground staff failed to provide adequate support or essential amenities following the cancellation. Complaints poured in about the total absence of drinking water, food provisions, and any reliable guidance from the carrier's representatives. Travellers alleged they were left stranded for a considerable period, with no immediate arrangements or clear communication offered regarding accommodation or alternative travel to send them back home.

The incident has highlighted serious concerns over the carrier's contingency planning and customer service protocols during flight disruptions at one of India's key international gateways. The airline is yet to issue a comprehensive statement addressing the alleged lapse in passenger care.
 

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