Couple critically injured in suspicious explosion in Karnataka’s Hassan

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed all government departments to strictly adopt eco-friendly practices by replacing plastic water bottles with sustainable alternatives in offices and official events across the state.

In a note issued on October 28, which was released to media on Friday, the CM emphasised the state's commitment to environmental responsibility and promotion of indigenous products.

The directive aims to make government functions more sustainable while supporting local enterprises.

Siddaramaiah said, "Instructions had been issued earlier to use eco-friendly materials instead of plastic water bottles for drinking water in all government offices and official meetings across the state. Necessary steps should be taken to strictly implement this measure."

Further, the chief minister directed all departments to "mandatorily use Nandini products of the government-owned Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF)" during meetings and official programmes, including those held in the Secretariat.

Udupi, Oct 28: The deep-sea fishing season along the Karnataka coast has been dealt a crippling blow, as persistent heavy rainfall and the impact of recent cyclonic activity have forced the entire fleet to return and anchor. Malpe harbour, a bustling hub, is now eerily still, with hundreds of trawlers moored not only at the port but also crowding the backwaters near Baputota.

Fishermen are reporting significant losses and growing distress, lamenting that unpredictable and severe weather conditions have plagued the season almost from its start. Repeated cyclonic warnings and sudden changes in the Arabian Sea have made deep-sea ventures hazardous, if not impossible.

The industry’s woes began just as the trawling restrictions were lifted. Strong winds and heavy rain repeatedly forced boats to remain docked. After only a few operational days in August, intermittent cyclones disrupted activity throughout September. Now, the renewed spell of heavy rain and powerful winds this month has brought the deep-sea fishing operations to a complete standstill.

Compared to previous years, the current season is proving disastrous. While a fortunate few initially netted decent quantities of prawns and sardines, the majority have been unlucky. "Even though fish are available in the sea, the conditions are making it impossible to go out and catch them," a fisherman stated. The community is lamenting the loss of the peak season months. "Usually, August, September, and October are the best months for fishing, but this year, due to adverse weather, activities have remained far below expectations," another added.

Narayan Karkera, President of the Malpe Fishermen’s Association, highlighted the dual challenges facing the sector. “At the beginning of the season, many boats could not go out due to a shortage of workers. Though workers from other states have now returned, the cyclone has again made fishing impossible.” He further noted that even for the boats that did manage to venture out, catches of high-value fish like mackerel have been disappointingly low, leading to a stark disparity in hauls. The severity of the weather has even forced some Malpe boats to seek refuge as far as Karwar port. “For the last four to five days, due to the cyclone, boats have returned to shore. So far, this year’s fishing season has not been satisfactory,” Karkera concluded.

Faridabad: A 19-year-old college student in Haryana’s Faridabad died by suicide after being allegedly blackmailed with obscene, AI-generated images and videos of his three sisters, police said on Sunday.

The victim, identified as Rahul Bharti, a second-year student of DAV College, had been visibly distressed for nearly two weeks before his death. His father, Manoj Bharti, said Rahul had withdrawn socially, stopped eating properly, and spent most of his time in his room.

According to the family, unknown persons allegedly hacked Rahul’s phone and used artificial intelligence to create morphed obscene visuals of him and his sisters. The accused, identified as ‘Sahil’ in Rahul’s chat records, demanded ₹20,000 to delete the material and threatened to circulate it online if he did not comply.

In the final chat exchange, ‘Sahil’ allegedly goaded Rahul to end his life, even suggesting ways to do so. Distressed and fearful, Rahul reportedly consumed poison around 7 pm on Saturday. He was rushed to a private hospital, where he died during treatment.

“Someone sent obscene videos and photos of my daughters to Rahul’s phone and threatened to make them viral. My son couldn’t bear the harassment and took his own life,” said his father, breaking down.

The family suspects the involvement of another man, Neeraj Bharti, who had spoken to Rahul just hours before the tragedy. Rahul’s mother, Meena Devi, alleged that Neeraj—her brother-in-law—along with a woman, conspired to torment the family following a domestic dispute six months ago.

Based on the family’s complaint, the police have registered a case against two accused.

“Rahul had consumed poison and died during treatment. A case has been filed on his father’s complaint. The mobile phone is being examined, and further action will be taken based on the investigation,” said Investigating Officer Sunil Kumar.