Putturu temple fest invite row: DC AB Ibrahim clarifies

March 26, 2016

Mangaluru, Mar 26: Seeking to defuse the row over his name appearing in an invitation card for a temple car festival at Puttur near here, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim today said it had been printed as per protocol and he would ensure that the event is held smoothly and successfully.

Ibrahim has been dragged into a row over his name being printed in the invitation card for the festival at Lord Mahalingeshwara temple, with Puttur Congress MLA Shakuntala Shetty saying printing the name of the DC had given rise to discordant notes.

As per provisions of the Hindu Religious Endowments Act, names of non-Hindus cannot be printed in temple invitations, she had said, a stand supported by some Hindu fringe groups.

She had later backtracked from her statement, saying invitations should be reprinted only if the court directed the temple authorities to do so.

In a release here, Ibrahim said Deputy Commissioners of districts head all religious institutions falling under the Muzrai department. After he took over as the DC here, the additional deputy commissioner of the district was handed over power as deputy commissioner for the purpose.

Since then, the additional deputy commissioner had been discharging duty as the deputy commissioner under section 7 of Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act.

As such, he was discharging duties as president of district religious council, formation of managing committees for different temples, appointing administrative officers to temples wherever necessary, and deciding on hereditary rights.

The DC clarified that the custom of printing deputy commissioner's name in temple invitation had been in vogue in various temples of the district as well as other districts, and that in respect of Lord Mahalingeshwara temple at Puttur, his name was printed as per protocol.

Ibrahim said all religious rituals being held at the shrine from April 10 to 20 would be in the presence and supervision of executive officer of the temple and administrator. Puttur assistant commissioner would also take part to guide the proceedings during the car festival.

As additional deputy commissioner had already been posted as deputy commissioner under the above act for Hindu religious institutions, he would be present, provide guidance, and see that the car festival was held smoothly, maintaining peace and harmony in the district.

The 10-day car festival, held from April 17 every year in the famous temple at Puttur, 52 km from here, attracts thousands of devotees from different parts of the state.

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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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