Heavy rains lash Bengaluru; youth washed away in drain

May 21, 2017

Bengaluru, May 21: Heavy rains lashed the city throwing normal life out of gear last night. Several parts of the city plunged into darkness, and trees were uprooted in many places. Blustery winds blew away a part of the metal roof at the MG Road Metro station.

Rajkumar (24), a JCB operator, fell into a stormwater drain in Kurubarahalli, near Basaveshwaranagar. He remained untraced till midnight as rescue operations were delayed by the persistent downpour. Mayor G Padmavathi, who visited the spot, said that the rescue operations had been suspended and would resume in the morning.

The pre-monsoon showers began around 8 pm and continued till late in the night.

The rain brought at least a dozen trees down, and caused a traffic gridlock. This was the second heavy downpour in three days.

According to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), trees were uprooted near in Malleswaram, Dollars Colony, Benson Town, RT Nagar, Hebbal, Yeshwantpur, and Vijayanagar.

Many vehicles were damaged. The BBMP said it had received no complaints of flooding, barring in low-lying areas such as Laggere.

The downpour plunged a number of neighbourhoods into darkness. Koramangala, Jayanagar, Wilson Garden, Sampangirama Nagar, JP Nagar and Shanthinagar were among the areas that experienced power outages from 8 pm onwards.

Power supply was also disrupted in Kadugodi and Whitefield. A?Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) official said he couldn't say when power supply would be restored. It had received 4,356 power disruption complaints.

The maximum temperature in the city was just 32.7 degrees Celsius and minimum 21.8 degrees Celsius.

Sundar M Metri, in-charge director, India Meteorological Department (IMD), said the weather would be pleasant over the next couple of days with rain expected in the evenings. Sunday and Monday will see a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 22 degrees Celsius.

Ballari Road was blocked after trees collapsed near Cauvery cinema and Mehkri Circle. Thousands of vehicles, including those bound for the airport, remained stuck for two hours.

Many could not reach the airport in time for their flights. A Kempegowda International Airport spokesperson said at least two flights from Mumbai — SpiceJet flight and Jet Lite — had been diverted to Chennai by 10 pm.

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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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