Stop communalising and politicising Deralakatte forced sex case, urge Nayak couple

[email protected] (CD Network)
January 10, 2014
Mangalore, Jan 10: Reacting strongly against the communalisation and politicisation of the recent Deralakatte forced sex case, rationalist Narendra Nayak and advocate Asha Nayak said that the Deralakatte incident was a crime and it should not be communalised by right-wing groups who were trying to gain electoral capital out of it.

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The husband and wife, who were the first two individuals who took up the issue of the kidnap and subsequent sexual exploitation of two medical students in Deralakatte, came out in the open and recounted their experience with mediapersons at a press conference at their residence in the city on Friday.

'No political pressure'

In the backdrop of allegations such as 'inefficiency of the police department' and 'political pressure' in the case flung at a mass rally organised by a right-wing women's outfit on Thursday, president of Federation of Indian Rationalists Association (FIRA) said that the so-called guardians of the society were trying to communalise the crime in order to make political electoral gains through it.

The crime was done by an organised anti-social gang and there should not be any political exploitation of the crime. Such attempts are being made by people who were nowhere in the picture when the events happened, which is extremely condemnable and should not be allowed, he said.

Mrs Asha Nayak, who was with one of the victims during and after their rescue, also clarified that there was no political pressure when the statements were being taken.

'Male victim also faced physical and mental trauma'

Reacting against the allegation that the male victim in the case was also involved with the accused (since he belongs to the same community), Mrs Asha Nayak, who was involved in the case and played a crucial role in rescuing the victims, refuted the allegation and stated that the male victim had also undergone physical and mental trauma by the kidnappers.

If he was in nexus with the gang who exploited them, it would have been revealed by the eight accused during police interrogation. So far, the boy has adhered to everything that the police have said, including making a statement before the judicial magistrate.

During his ordeal with the accused, he was physically injured to the extent that he had to be hospitalised subsequently, she said.

She said that when the boy was found by the police, his hand was fractured, his face bloated, and he was badly bruised. She also said that during the boy's rescue, the female victim had been very concerned about him till he was rescued.

Mr Nayak said that it was a malicious allegation against the boy, merely because he was from the same community as the accused.

'Cannot blame the police'

The couple also clarified that the police had swung into action when they were informed about the issue, and were successful in nabbing the culprits on the same day.

“They cannot blame the police on the alleged grounds that they did not take necessary action in the case. It is not necessary for people to drag the issue on the streets when the police are doing what should be done,” said Mr Nayak.

Having helped the two victims during their ordeal in their capacities as human beings, the duo said that they were deeply pained by the attempts to communalise the entire crime and create rifts between communities. This was a delicate and sensitive case, which is why we did not want to speak to the public earlier, said Mrs Nayak.

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News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Air India Express has announced that it will resume direct flight services between Mangaluru and Muscat from March 2026, restoring an important international air link for passengers from the coastal region.

Airport authorities said the service will operate twice a week—on Sundays and Tuesdays—from March 1. The initial flights are scheduled on March 3, 8 and 10, followed by March 15 and 17, with the same operating pattern to continue thereafter. The flight duration is approximately three hours and 25 minutes.

The Mangaluru–Muscat route was earlier operated under the 2025 summer schedule, with services beginning on July 14. At that time, Air India Express had operated four flights a week before suspending the service.

Officials said the summer schedule will come into effect from March 29, after which changes in flight timings and departure schedules from Mangaluru are expected. Passengers have been advised to check the latest schedules while planning their travel.

The resumption of direct flights to Muscat is expected to significantly benefit expatriates, business travellers and others, further strengthening Mangaluru’s air connectivity with the Gulf region.

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