Leopard attack on farmer sparks panic on Mangaluru outskirts

Shivamogga: Tension prevailed in the Bangarappa Layout area of Shivamogga's Raggigudda locality on Sunday after unidentified miscreants allegedly desecrated a Ganesha and Naga idols, police sources said.

They also said the Naga idol fell into the roadside drain.

According to the sources, the incident occurred in the Shantinagar ward of the district headquarters town of Shivamogga, where the idols had recently been installed on the main road of the Bangarappa Layout.

Residents of the area strongly condemned the act of vandalism and expressed anger over the alleged insult to the deities.

Senior police officers visited the spot and held discussions with the local community.

The officers told residents that a case has been registered and they promised strict action against the culprits.

Additional police forces have been deployed in the area, and tight security arrangements are in place to prevent any further disturbance.

The situation is currently under control, and police are continuing their investigation.

In a post on 'X', BJP state president Vijayendra alleged that after a brief pause in their acts of mischief in Shivamogga, anti-Hindu elements have once again resumed their wrongdoing.

Vijayendra, an MLA from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district, said, In Raggigudda, miscreants desecrated the idols of Ganesha and Sheshanaga. He also said the idol was thrown into a drain.

Attacking the Congress government in the state, he said, "The @INCKarnataka government, which looks at Hindu organisations with a jaundiced eye, has always stood as a backbone to anti-Hindu forces. Especially in Shivamogga district, the excesses of miscreants have reached extreme levels," he alleged.

Mangaluru, July 8: The Tulupara Horata Samiti (Tulu Movement Committee) has urged the Karnataka government to rename Dakshina Kannada district as 'Mangaluru District' to reflect its historical and cultural identity.

Addressing a press conference today, committee leader Dayananda Kattal Sir stated that a non-partisan committee has been formed to spearhead the movement for renaming, uniting individuals across political lines. No specific office-bearers have been appointed to maintain neutrality and inclusiveness.

He emphasized that the region traditionally known as Tulu Nadu encompasses present-day Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and parts of Kasaragod. This cultural and linguistic zone has been historically recognized in ancient Tamil Sangam literature, particularly in verse 13 of the poetic anthology Agananooru, dating back nearly 2,000 years.

Dayananda highlighted that successive dynasties—Alupas, Pallavas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara kings, and the Keladi rulers—have all historically referred to this region using names like Tulu Vishaya, Tulu Desa, and Tulu Rajya.

During the Vijayanagara Empire, the area was administratively divided into the Mangaluru State and Barkuru State, further affirming the historical importance of the name Mangaluru.

Adding to this legacy, several foreign scholars and historians have mentioned Mangaluru in their writings. He also recalled that in 1931, when noted leader S. U. Paniyadi proposed the name Tulu Nadu District in the District Council, a counter-suggestion arose from fellow members to name the district Mangaluru instead.

The committee believes it is now time to recognize the historic and cultural continuity of the region by officially renaming Dakshina Kannada as Mangaluru District.

Mangaluru, July 7: Two working professionals from Mangaluru have lost more than ₹10 lakh in separate incidents of online job fraud, raising alarm over the growing trend of cybercrime exploiting employment seekers.

Case 1: Part-Time Job Scam on WhatsApp & Telegram

A woman professional lost ₹6.5 lakh after falling for a so-called part-time work-from-home job. According to her complaint, she received a WhatsApp message on June 25 from someone claiming to be an HR assistant from the NSE Exchange. The job promised earnings between ₹5,000 and ₹20,000.

She was asked to join via a link and instructed to download the Telegram app, where further communication and tasks were assigned. After completing 30 initial tasks, she received small payments of ₹180 and ₹200 to gain her trust.

However, soon she was assigned "trade tasks" and told to deposit ₹800 to a bank account. Over the next three days (June 26–28), she was made to transfer larger amounts to multiple accounts via UPI and net banking. When no payments were refunded, she realized it was a scam and lodged a complaint with Mangaluru Rural Police.

Case 2: Fake International Hospital Job Offer

In another incident, a medical professional lost ₹4.2 lakh to fraudsters posing as recruiters for NMC Hospital in Dubai. The complainant received a call on June 6 from a woman named Sangeetha, followed by a detailed job offer via email.

A man named Vinay Singh then contacted the complainant and asked for multiple payments — ₹5,499 for registration, ₹25,960 for profile verification, and over ₹82,000 for a DHA licence. Over the next few days, further payments totaling several lakhs were demanded for NOC and other formalities.

Suspicion arose when the fraudsters asked for an additional ₹2.6 lakh. After consulting friends, the complainant discovered the job offer was fake and reported the fraud to Kankanady Town Police Station.

Authorities Urge Caution

Police have urged the public, especially job seekers, to be extremely cautious while responding to unsolicited job offers online, particularly those demanding advance payments or using unofficial platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram for communication.