Fiction writer Krishnamurthy Puranik remembered

August 17, 2012

Mangalore, August 17: Dakshina Kannada District Kannada Sahitya Parishad held a programme here as part of birth centenary year celebration of renowned fiction writer Krishnamurthy Puranik. The programme was held on August 17 at Government Teachers' Training Institute (T.T.I.) Auditorium, Balmatta, Mangalore.

September 5, 2011-12 is being celebrated as birth centenary year of Krishnamurthy Puranik.

Speaking on the life of the renowned writer, Dr. M. Prabhakar Joshi, senior scholar, said that Krishnamurthy Puranik was a big name in the field of fiction writing. He has written not just novels, but also poems, short stories, a couple of plays and over a hundred essays in Kannada. While some write books, Puranik was himself a book. He enhanced the place he lived in, he said.

Dr. Joshi said that he was known for simplicity in his writing. His novels were such that they could be given to anyone to read, without a second thought. His work must be re-evaluated in today's world, to know his real worth, he said. Two volumes of his collection must be brought out as a representation of his work, he opined.

He advised the students at the programme not to be misled by brands. Categorisation of literary writers has been in existence in Kannada literature. But this is not ethical. No writer or artist should be branded, he said.

S.L. Shastry, senior litterateur from Belgaum, said that Krishnamurthy had been inspired by the writings of renowned Shivaram Karanth. Krishnamurthy's life and writings were not dissimilar. The way he was able to write over 80 novels in his lifetime was by leading a disciplined life. He lived as a role headmaster, and was an example to many teachers. Most of his novels were inspired by real-life incidents, almost 15 of his novels have been made into cinema, he said.

Talking about the current scenario, he said that in the age of technology, people had lost interest in books. Computers have replaced books, and we are turning into machines. This programme is an effort to arouse interest towards literature in people, he said. He encouraged the future teachers to inspire their students to cultivate the habit of reading.

He was felicitated on the occasion.

Usha, Superintendent of Govt. T.T.I., Balmatta, said that reading books would bring a positive change in people.

S. Pradeep Kumar Kalkura, President of Dakshina Kannada District Kannada Sahitya Parishad, presided over the programme and spoke on the occasion. Vijayalakshmi B. Shetty, President of Kannada Sahitya Parishad, Mangalore taluk, was present.

Janardhan Hande, and Vidhusha Nirmala Nagaraj, individually sang Kannada songs on the occasion.

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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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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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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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