One killed, several injured, properties damaged as LPG tanker explodes

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Chakravarthi)

September 1, 2015

Karwar, Sep 1: A woman was killed and 16 people were injured after a BPCL tanker transporting liquified petroleum gas (LPG) fell into a ditch and gas leaked from it, leading to a major fire, at Bargi village in the taluk on Tuesday. The incident occurred on national highway-17.

The deceased is Nagaveni Jetti Patagar, 84. She died of severe burns on the way to the hospital. The woman had come to her daughter’s house in Bargi. Her body will be taken to Haveri for cremation, her son said. Nagaveni’s daughter Jayashri, son-in-law and two sons also suffered grievous injuries.

Of the injured, the condition of eight is said to be serious. Five of the injured belong to a single family and four others to another single family. Gas leaked out of the tanker - on its way from Mangaluru to Solapur in Maharashtra - as soon as it fell into the 10-foot ditch at around 5.50 am. The gas then spread in an area of 400 sq metres.

When the gas stove in one of the houses was lit, there was a huge fire which spread to houses in the area, injuring several residents critically. Bhatkal Assistant Commissioner Chidanand Vitari told media persons that 14 of the 16 injured have been admitted to the burns ward of the Kasturba Medical College hospital in Manipal.

Around 12 houses have been badly damaged in the incident. Police have cordoned off the area and sent people to safer places. Paddy crops and trees in a radius of 300 metres of the accident spot were completely burnt.

Vehicular traffic was stopped on the highway between 7 am and 3 pm, as there was a possibility of the tanker exploding. This led to a piling up of vehicles on the busy road. Train traffic was also stopped on the nearby Konkan Railway stretch as a precautionary measure.

K?G?Devaraj, the additional superintendent of police, said that the fire had been brought under control. Steps had been taken to shift the burnt tanker from the spot, he said.

Kumta Assistant Commissioner Shobha that the area had many houses, but people in only seven to eight houses had been injured.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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