Newlywed, groom-to-be among 5 of a Mangaluru family killed in road mishap during Sirsi wedding trip

coastaldigest.com news network
December 9, 2023

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Five people were killed in a head-on collision between a bus and a car in Sirsi near Bandala of Uttara Kannada district on Friday, December 9. The victims were en route to attend a wedding in Sirsi.

The deceased have been identified as P Ramakrishna Rao (69), his wife Vidyalaxmi Rao (64), Ramakrishna’s younger brother’s wife Pushpa M Rao (57), her son Suhas (30) and Aravindaksha (27), brother-in-law of Ramakrishna’s younger brother Sumanth.

According to the police, the passengers from Kinnikambgala on the outskirts of Mangaluru city in Dakshina Kannada district were traveling on the Sirsi-Kumta highway. 

At around 10:30 am, their vehicle collided with a Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus approaching from the opposite direction. 

While four people lost their lives on the spot, one succumbed to injuries in the hospital. 

A case has been registered at the Sirsi Rural Police Station.

Family background

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Marriage of Sumanth, second son of Ganesh Rao and Saraswati couple was held on December 6 at Chennai. Relatives had been to Ramakrishna’s home for Satyanarayana Pooja and reception at Nooyi was slated on December 10. 

In the midst of this, five members of the family were going to attend a marriage function of a relative at Sirsi when the tragedy took place.

The cremation of the deceased took place on Saturday at Paduperar cremation grounds. The final rites of Pushpa Rao will be held after her son reaches native place from Japan.

P Ramakrishna Rao, a resident of Kinnikambla was the priest of Radhakrishna Yuvaka Bhajana Sangha of Kinnikambla. He was also working as an auto driver. 

Ramakrishna Rao and Vidyalaxmi couple are survived by two daughters and one son Udaya R Rao, vice president of Kandavar gram panchayat and a lawyer by profession. 

Pushpa Mohan Rao, is the wife of late Mohan Rao, a native of Mucchur but now settled in Chennai. Their only son is working in Japan while one daughter is settled in Chennai.

Suhas (30), is the son of Ganesh Rao, second younger brother of Ramakrishna Rao and Saraswati couple. He is an employee of Infosys. He is survived by wife Kavita and nine-month-old girl baby.

Aravindaksha (27), is the son of Bhaskar Rao and Latha couple, native of Bala, now settled in Chennai. He was pursuing higher studies in dental science. He had recently got engaged and marriage was also reportedly fixed. 

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held talks with Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman, during which the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, with the Prime Minister outlining an eight-point vision covering key areas of cooperation.

Describing the meeting as “productive”, PM Modi said he shared a roadmap focused on trade and economy, fertilisers and agriculture, information technology, healthcare, infrastructure, critical and strategic minerals, civil nuclear cooperation, and people-to-people ties.

In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister praised King Abdullah II’s personal commitment to advancing India–Jordan relations, particularly as both countries mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year.

“Held productive discussions with His Majesty King Abdullah II in Amman. His personal commitment towards vibrant India-Jordan relations is noteworthy. This year, we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of our bilateral diplomatic relations,” PM Modi said.

The meeting took place at the Al Husseiniya Palace, where the two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides agreed to further deepen cooperation in areas including trade and investment, defence and security, counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation, fertilisers and agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, and heritage.

The MEA said both leaders reaffirmed their united stand against terrorism.

PM Modi arrived in Amman earlier on Monday and was received by Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, who accorded him a formal welcome. Following the talks, King Abdullah II hosted a banquet dinner in honour of the Prime Minister, reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties.

Jordan is the first leg of PM Modi’s three-nation tour. From Amman, the Prime Minister will travel to Ethiopia at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, marking his first official visit to the African nation. The tour will conclude with a visit to Oman.

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