Yogi led Hindu Yuva Vahini’s barbarism triggers alarm bells in BJP

Bengaluru, Jan 8: The Karnataka government is planning to stop Congress workers from participating in the Mekedatu padayatra at Kanakapura border before reaching Mekedatu.

The police department has erected barricades all over the Ramnagar district and deputed 2,000 police personnel to manage the situation as the face-off continues between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress on the issue.

Ramnagar district authorities have clamped prohibitory orders in the entire district. As per Congress leaders, thousands of workers are expected to participate in the padayatra from surrounding districts.

The police department sources said that reserved forces and extra staff have been kept ready. They are also ready to initiate action against participants of padayatra and are waiting for the government's instruction in this regard.

On the other hand, Congress sources said that if government resorts to punitive action, it will be good for the Opposition as it will dent the image of the ruling BJP in the state.

Police officers who are in a fix over the issue have decided to take action as per the situation until direct orders come from the government.

The Congress has started preparing for Mekedatu padayatra and made arrangements for cooking and shelter for the workers at choultries and school grounds along the route.

Padaytra on Mekedatu will begin on January 9 and conclude on January 19.

Bengaluru, Jan 10: The Cyber Crime Police have arrested a person for allegedly cheating as many as 26 women on the pretext of marriage.

The accused used matrimonial sites to find his victims. He landed in prison after making an attempt to dupe a woman who works in the police department.

The accused has been identified as Jai Bheem Vittal Padukoti (33), a resident of Vijayapur. The police have seized a luxury car from his possession besides freezing his bank accounts.

The accused got a job in Hescom as a lineman after the death of his father. He was married to Kavitha in 2013 and reportedly killed her following a quarrel. He was imprisoned for two years for this.

Coming out of the prison after securing bail, he resorted to cheating women on the pretext of marrying them to lead a luxurious life. The accused had created fake accounts in matrimonial sites, claiming that he was a section officer in Hescom.

He used to send messages to women that he had liked their profile. Later, he would visit their houses to win the trust of the parents and relatives of the victims. He also took lakhs of rupees from the girls' relatives promising them government jobs.

The accused managed to get the details of the bank accounts of the girls who agreed to marry him. Whenever the victims asked him to return the money, he would threaten them.

The police gathered evidence against the accused for cheating three women after developing physical intimacy with them on the pretext of marrying them.

The accused had cheated 26 women in Shivamogga, Haveri, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Dharwad, Hubballi, Yadgiri and Raichur districts. He had also taken Rs 21.30 lakh from the victims.

The accused ran out of luck after sending a similar request to a woman who worked in the police department. After observing his moves, the victim grew suspicious and informed the police.

Chikkamagaluru, Jan 11: The saffron shawl versus hijab row ended at the Balagadi First Grade College in Koppa taluk of Chikkamagaluru district in Karnataka as students and parents called a truce and agreed not to wear either a hijab or a saffron shawl along with the uniform to the college from Tuesday.

However, the girls will be allowed to wear veils along with uniform. The decision was made at the parents meeting held in the college.

Principal S Ananth addressing the meeting stated that a similar controversy erupted in 2018. Then, a decision was taken to only cover the face with a veil. This time also consent has been taken from all the parents and a decision on veils has been taken.

The college authorities will take strict measures to see that students do not violate discipline on the campus. He also warned that if any student violates the decision taken in the meeting, their parents would be called and they would be issued a transfer certificate.

MLA Raje Gowda, who also attended the meeting, said the students must maintain discipline on the campus. The behaviour should not be provoking and students must focus on studies and follow the decision taken at the meeting.

The row erupted recently when a group of students started attending classes in hijabs. In retaliation to this, another group of students started wearing saffron scarves and shawls to the college.

The students last week staged a protest by boycotting classes for allowing some of the students to wear a hijab. The students said that uniform norms were violated by some students who wear a hijab along with the uniform. If they are allowed to wear hijabs, then they must also be allowed to come with saffron scarves and shawls, the agitating students demanded.