SIT is sure of Hindtuva gunrunner Hotte Manja’s involvement in Gauri Lankesh murder

coastaldigest.com news network
March 2, 2018

Benglauru, Mar 2: Hindu Yuva Sena leader Naveen Kumar T alias Hotte Manja, who was arrested last month by the Special Investigation Team probing the murder of journactivist Gauri Lankesh, is suspected to have played a key role in the case.

The 38-year-old gunrunner from Maddur in Mandya district was picked up from the KSRTC bus stand in Majestic area in Bengaluru with a .32-calibre gun and 15 live bullets. He was trying to sell the gun when he was arrested.

Though he has not confessed to the crime so far, the SIT team has reportedly gathered evidence for his involvement in the transportation of the assailants who gunned down Gauri Lankesh in front of her house in Bengaluru on September 5. The investigating officers are now awaiting forensic confirmation before proceeding against him.

Highly placed sources said SIT has found out that Hotte Manja was part of a four-member team from a rightwing organisation based outside Karnataka. Sources also said that the CCTV footage collected from the surroundings of Gauri’s house pointed to Hotte Manja’s role.

“We have video footage of a man riding the bike near Gauri's place for observation on September 3 and 5. The rider is wearing a full-face helmet but his nose is almost visible. We recreated the scene with Hotte Manja on a similar bike. Everything - from his posture on the bike to the way he rides to the nose - perfectly matches with CCTV footage. We're waiting for forensic confirmation of our recreated images before proceeding against him. The bike, another crucial link, is eluding us," a news channel quoted an SIT source as saying.

Hotte Manja, however, admitted to harbouring four individuals from a rightwing organization. “We have drawn their sketches based on his description. We are sure one of them, a man with receding hairline killed Gauri," an SIT official reportedly told a news channel.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 3,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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