Tag: Bengaluru

Bengaluru records 172 dengue cases in 13 days, BBMP to use COVID-19 mist cannons to kill mosquitoes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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After battling a severe water crisis situation, India’s tech hub Bengaluru is now witnessing a rise in dengue cases, forcing the civic body to put precautionary measures in place to contain the spread of the vector-borne disease.

Between May 1 and 13, Karnataka’s capital city recorded a total of 172 dengue cases, as per the data shared by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

While observing the National Dengue Day on Thursday, May 16, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) Suralkar Vikas Kishor attributed the spurt in cases of dengue to the recent rains in the city, reports said.

Kishor said that the state health department has constituted four teams for each ward to spray insecticides and carry out fogging.

Mist cannon machines, procured around three years ago to spray disinfectants in crowded places in the city to stop the spread of COVID-19, will be put to use to control the outbreak of dengue in the city, reports said.

Lying idle for some time now, these mist cannons have been repurposed to function as fogging machines as the authorities look forward to containing the spread of dengue. The mist cannons have been deployed to eight BBMP zones.

“Insecticides will be mixed with water and diluted in order to ensure that there are no effects on humans, yet they will be able to kill the target,” officials informed.

Moreover, the BBMP will carry out awareness programmes in wards about mosquito-borne diseases along with other activities.

“As Bengaluru has started to receive rainfall, BBMP will work towards clearing stagnant water,” Kishor informed.

As part of the initiative, the ASHA workers, primary health centre staff as well as Namma Clinic doctors have been visiting various places to detect dengue cases in slums and other places.

Moreover, several social media platforms and leaflets are being used by the authorities to spread awareness against dengue, while announcements are being made on loudspeakers by people manning the BBMP garbage collection vehicles across all the wards in the city.

Here are a few steps to keep yourself safe from the spread of dengue:

1. Make sure you remove stagnant water from containers, flowerpots and other areas to prevent mosquito breeding.

2. Before moving out of your homes, apply mosquito repellents to exposed skin or consider wearing long-sleeved clothes.

3. You can also consider installing screens or closing the doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of your home, especially after sunset.

4. While sleeping, use mosquito nets.

5. Stay aware of various dengue symptoms like high fever, severe headache and others.

6. Once you detect these symptoms, immediately seek medical advice.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

More than just a hoax? A look at bomb threats received in various cities in past few weeks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In the past few weeks, a panic wave swept through multiple cities in the country after schools, hospitals, airports and railway stations received bomb threats.

However, nothing suspicious was found in any of these places. It became apparent that these bomb threats were nothing but a hoax; police authorities continued to investigate the matter. Let’s take a look at how this started.

Delhi: Over 100 schools get threat mail

It all started on May 1 when more than 100 schools across Delhi-NCR received identical bomb threats via email. This incident sparked widespread panic among students, school authorities as well as parents. While the authorities initiated mass evacuations and conducted extensive searches of the school premises, investigations revealed the threats to be false alarms, as nothing suspicious was discovered during the searches.

Later on, the cyber cell of Delhi Police tracked the IP address of the threatening emails, which originated from Russia and might have been sent via VPN, according to reports.

Ahmedabad

Nearly a week after Delhi, several schools in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city received alarming bomb threats via email on May 6, sparking panic among both staff and parents. However, in a swift response to the situation, the law enforcement authorities initiated an investigation and found out that these threats were nothing but again a hoax. According to reports, the emails to Ahmedabad-based schools were sent from the Russian domain ‘mail.ru’ — the same which was used to send the bomb threats to the Delhi-NCR schools earlier.

Jaipur

On Monday, over 50 schools in Rajasthan’s capital city received bomb threats via email, triggering panic among students and their parents. However, here, too, the authorities did not find any explosives or anything suspicious while conducting a thorough search operation in these schools.

Kanpur 

Ten schools in Kanpur received threatening emails on Wednesday, triggering panic in the city. The emails threatened to blow up the schools. The district administration has rushed the bomb disposal squad to the schools to sanitise the premises, reports said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Harish Chander said the police’s cyber cell is probing the matter.

Tihar Jail

Delhi’s Tihar Jail received a bomb threat email, adding to a series of similar warnings sent to schools and hospitals

The jail authorities alerted the Delhi Police about the threat, leading to thorough searches within the prison premises. Tihar jail houses several high-profile inmates, including key politicians.

Hospitals, airports targeted

Before the Jaipur incident, a total of 20 hospitals, the IGI Airport and the Northern Railways’ CPRO office in the national capital also received bomb threats through emails on Sunday.

While earlier threats were received from a Russia-based mailing service, this time the mail was received from a Europe-based mailing service company ‘beeble.com’, PTI quoted officials as saying.

The email was sent to one hospital, while copies were marked to others with the same content. The mail was generated from the id ‘courtgroup03@beeble.com’. Police officials suspect the e-mail to be sent with the help of a VPN (virtual private network) or proxy server so that the IP address of the sender can not be traced.

On Sunday, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport also received a similar threat, which police said later on turned out to be a hoax.

Bengaluru

In Karnataka’s capital city, six private hospitals received bomb threats via email on Sunday, which turned out to be a hoax.

Soon after the threats, police started an extensive search operation along with dog and bomb disposal teams in these city hospitals. However, nothing suspicious was found, an official informed.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Heavy rain at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 2 diverts 17 flights

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) Terminal 2 (T2) was struck by a heavy downpour on the evening of May 9, 2024, causing water leakage in parts of the terminal and leading to the diversion of 17 flights to Chennai.

The rainfall, which occurred between 21:35 hrs. and 22:29 hrs, resulted in rainwater dripping from the roof near the baggage claim area of T2. A spokesperson for Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) stated, “Heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds led to the diversion of flights.”

The diverted flights included four each from IndiGo and Air India Express, two from Air India and others from Vistara, Akasa Air and Star Air. The three international flights diverted were Singapore Airlines (SQ 510), Etihad (EY 238) from Abu Dhabi and KLM flight (KL-879) from Amsterdam.

Bangalore Airport is flooded
Total destruction in new Terminal 2 – C5 and C6@AAI_Official @BLRAirport #Bengalururains pic.twitter.com/GgLMvtlyZN

— Rohhinn (@RohinSelva) May 9, 2024

“Our teams promptly responded to the situation to mitigate the impact and restore normal operations. We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers,” the spokesperson added.

Also Read: The difficult tale of airline mergers — here’s the challenges of Indian civil aviation and Air India’s too

The India Meteorological Department reported that the airport recorded 72.4mm of rainfall, while Bengaluru City received 14mm, until 8:30 am on May 10. Many passengers faced severe inconvenience due to waterlogged roads.

Traffic police officials reported waterlogging from Chalukya Circle to Hebbal flyover as well as Hunasamaranahalli. An advisory issued by Bengaluru traffic police on May 9 warned commuters to expect a 30 to 40-minute delay to the airport due to heavy congestion.

T2, known as a terminal in a garden, was built for ₹5,000 crore and inaugurated by PM Modi on November 11, 2022. It commenced domestic operations on January 15, 2023, and international flight operations began on September 12.

Unfortunate scenes at Bengaluru’s T2 of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) as heavy rains lead to leaks, on May 9th amidst heavy rainfall in the city, causing inconvenience for travelers. #Bengaluru #Bangalore #Rain#Karnataka #Airport #India

pic.twitter.com/uYOTXUGxAW

— Mr. Shaz (@Wh_So_Serious) May 10, 2024

Meanwhile, Bengaluru, which has been reeling under an acute water crisis since March this year, saw much-needed respite in the form of rains bringing the city to a halt with flooding in low-lying areas.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted heavy rains for the next seven days in Bengaluru, offering a temporary reprieve from the relentless water crisis gripping the city. However, the aftermath of the torrential rainfall saw numerous areas of the city face waterlogging, exacerbating traffic congestion and disrupting the daily lives of residents.

The powerful gusts felled dozens of trees, further complicating cleanup efforts. The Bangalore traffic police issued guidelines to commuters to navigate the waterlogged streets aiming to alleviate traffic woes in the city.

Also Read: Air India Express recovers from cabin crew strike, normalcy expected in two days

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Brigade Enterprises signs deal for Bengaluru residential project valued at ₹660 crore

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Realty firm Brigade Enterprises Ltd said on Thursday (May 9) it has inked an agreement for a prime land parcel located on Old Madras Road, Bengaluru.

Spread across 4.6 acres, the total development potential of the residential project will be around 0.69 million square feet with a gross development value of ₹660 crore.

“We would like to inform you that the Company has signed a definitive agreement for a prime land parcel located on Old Madras Road, Bengaluru. Spread across 4.6 acres, the total development potential of the residential project will be around 0.69 Mn Sqft with a Gross Development Value of ₹660 crore,” the company said in a stock exchange filing.

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The new project will be designed in line with Brigade’s commitment to deliver high-quality, sustainable spaces in urban Bengaluru, the company said.

Pavitra Shankar, Managing Director of Brigade Enterprises, said, “We are actively pursuing land acquisition opportunities in our target markets and continue to add high-quality assets to our land bank. This project is strategically located and contributes to our overall residential growth strategy. We will develop a residential property that will be executed keeping in mind customer preferences for quality and sustainability.”

Also Read: Asian Paints Q4 Results: Weak demand, downtrading hurts revenue; Volume growth of 10%

The Brigade Group has a healthy pipeline of new launches of around 12.61 million square feet in residential across Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Shares of Brigade Enterprises Ltd ended at ₹1,061.60, down by ₹48.90, or 4.40%, on the BSE.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Bengaluru flats on rent without deposit — NoBroker data shows a rise

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a departure from the conventional practice of requiring rental deposits, zero deposit rental properties are gaining traction in Bengaluru, according to NoBroker, a proptech unicorn in India.  This development comes against the backdrop of a surge in rental deposits, which have escalated by 20% in select areas this quarter alone.

Bengaluru, often associated with high deposit-to-rent ratios, has been witnessing a growing affordability challenge in the rental sector. Premium properties, in particular, have been demanding deposits as steep as ₹30 lakh for a 4BHK.

This has been posing difficulties for prospective tenants, especially those relocating to the city for career opportunities. In response to this growing need for more accessible housing solutions, zero deposit rental properties have emerged as a viable alternative, NoBroker said.

The rental bonds serve as a guarantee for landlords, providing financial protection in the event of tenant default.

Under the zero deposit model, tenants pay an upfront yearly premium, typically around 6% of the probable deposit value, along with a potential premium of up to 10% on rent for access to such properties.

This model offers benefits such as faster rental turnovers and credit-verified tenants.

Amit Kumar Agarwal, CEO and Co-founder of NoBroker.com said, “The rental sector has been experiencing an inflation that is quite unusual and Bengaluru tenants, already struggling with rental inflation are now having to deal with exorbitant deposits. Landlords in Bengaluru ask anywhere between 4-10 months of rent as a deposit. Zero deposits as a solution takes care of the needs of landlords as well as tenants and we have seen a lot of them on board with the idea. ”

The survey conducted by NoBroker revealed that 35% of tenants in Bangalore are willing to opt for zero deposit rentals. Currently, 5% of rental properties are being leased out through this bond.

Seamless claims processing and landlords’ willingness to forgo upfront lump-sum deposits are expected to play key roles in driving the adoption of zero deposit rental properties in Bengaluru.

ALSO READ | Property registrations in Mumbai rise 11% to 11,628 units in April

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3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Watch | Bengaluru doctor’s quick thinking saves woman who suffered cardiac arrest at polling booth

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A Karnataka doctor sprung into action and saved the life of a woman, who collapsed at a polling booth during the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Friday, April 26.

Dr Ganesh Srinivasa Prasad, a nephrologist and transplant physician, was waiting to cast his vote along with others in a queue at a Bengaluru polling booth where the woman fainted.

Prasad said the woman suffered a cardiac arrest. Sharing a video on X, he wrote, “As I was waiting in the queue… one lady had syncope and cardiac arrest in front of me. There was no pulse and I started immediate CPR … luckily she got ROSC within minutes”.

As I was waiting in queue….one lady had syncope and cardiac arrest in front of me
There was no pulse and I started immediate CPR … luckily she got ROSC within minutes #LokSabhaElections2024 @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @Lolita_TNIE @chetanabelagere https://t.co/NFN5GVWaaR pic.twitter.com/azcH4Su2aD

— Dr Ganesh Srinivasa Prasad (మోడి కుటుంబం) (@thisis_drgsp) April 26, 2024

After realising the woman had no pulse, the doctor immediately administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and his timely action saved her life. The woman later regained spontaneous circulation. Dr Prasad’s post has garnered more than 2.29 lakh views on the social media site. In the comments section, several users praised him for his efforts.

“Sir maybe you were meant to be in the queue to save this woman. Thank God you were there. God bless you,” one person wrote, while another remarked, “Hats off to you, doc! CPR training should be mandatory for all professionals for times like these. Your quick thinking has saved a life. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) polling agent lost his life in Assam’s Hailakandi district on Friday. Identified as Faruk Hussain Laskar, the BJP poll agent fainted at a polling station in the Jalnachora area in Hailakandi.

Besides being the saffron party’s polling agent, Laskar was also the president of Village Defence Party, which is an additional law enforcement force in Assam, Hindustan Times reported.

“As per the initial investigation, the death happened due to a brain stroke and not because of the injury. However, things will be clearer once we get the post-mortem report,” the national daily quoted a senior police official as saying.

Earlier on Wednesday, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari fainted while addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district.

Gadkari, contesting from the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat, was campaigning at Pusad, which falls under the Yavatmal-Washim constituency.

“Felt uneasy due to the heat at a rally at Pusad, Maharashtra. But now I am completely alright and on my way to Warud to take part in the next rally,” Gadkari, 66, later said in a post on X.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha election: Over 60% voter turnout recorded in second phase

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The voting for the second phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is currently underway. Bengaluru Rural, one of the 28 parliamentary constituencies in Karnataka, is witnessing a close contest between members of two influential tVokkaliga families in this Lok Sabha election.

The final voter turnout in this seat stands at 61.78%.

Created in 2008 after delimitation, the Bengaluru Rural seat is spread over the districts of Bengaluru Urban, Ramanagara and Tumakuru in south Karnataka. It comprises eight Assembly segments — five of which are held by Congress, two by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and one by Janata Dal (Secular).

This constituency is witnessing a high-profile contest between eminent cardiologist Dr CN Manjunath, who is the son-in-law of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and Congress’ DK Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister and party’s state president DK Shivakumar.

Manjunath, the JD(S) state chief, is contesting the 2024 polls on a BJP ticket, as per the arrangement between the two parties. After heading the state-owned Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research for 17 years, he retired in January this year.

Suresh has been representing the Bengaluru Rural seat in Parliament since 2013. In the 2013 by-election, he defeated former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s wife Anitha.

Shivakumar and Kumaraswamy represent Kanakapura and Channapatna Assembly seats — both of which are part of the Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency. Hence, this seat has emerged as the most prestigious segment in the state during the 2024 elections.

Bengaluru Rural was the only constituency in Karnataka where the grand old party won in the 2019 elections.

Voting date

During the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, polling in Karnataka is spread across two phases.

Out of 28 parliamentary constituencies in the state, 14 have gone to polls in the second phase on Friday, April 26, while the remaining 14 seats will vote in the third phase on May 7.

The results will be announced on June 4.

In the 2019 polls, Bengaluru Rural clocked a total voter turnout of 64.98%.

List of candidates

As many as 15 candidates are trying their luck from the Bengaluru Rural this time. Here’s a look at some of the big names from this seat:

2019 result

Congress’ DK Suresh was the winning candidate from the Bengaluru Rural seat in the 2019 elections.

He defeated BJP’s Ashwath Narayan Gowda by over two lakh votes.

Click here for Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 2 Voting Live updates

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Bangalore South Lok Sabha elections: BJP’s Tejasvi Surya faces Congress’ Sowmya Reddy in fierce electoral battle

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A bastion of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since 1991, the Bangalore South parliamentary constituency is home to a significant Brahmin population and has been represented majorly by community members. Tejasvi Surya, BJP’s youth wing president and current MP, is seeking a re-election from here in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He is facing a spirited challenge from Sowmya Reddy of the Congress.

According to poll officials, 63.90% of people in 14 areas of Karnataka had voted till 5 pm. The voter percentage till 3 pm was about 50.93%. Among the three constituencies in Bengaluru, South recorded a 49.37% turnout.

Sowmya, 41, is the daughter of state minister Ramalinga Reddy. She is a former MLA from Jayanagar and lost the 2023 Assembly elections by a mere 16 votes.

Bangalore South is spread across eight Assembly segments. Of these, the BJP won five in the 2023 Assembly elections, while Congress bagged three.

Since 1977, the grand old party has registered a win from this parliamentary constituency once when former Chief Minister late R Gundu Rao emerged victorious in the 1989 elections. Before Surya, BJP’s Ananth Kumar represented this seat in Parliament for over two decades.

Hoping to turn the tide against the BJP, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to promote Sowmya as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar too have been campaigning for her electoral prospects.

While Sowmya is banking heavily on the Congress’ five guarantees in the state, Surya, on the other hand, has been underlining the strides made by the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last 10 years.

Voting date

Karnataka will be voting in two phases in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. During the second phase, 14 out of 28 state seats will go to the polls.

The rest of the 14 constituencies will vote in the third phase on May 7. The counting of votes will be done on June 4.

During the 2019 polls, this seat marked a total voter turnout of 53.70%.

List of candidates

A total of 22 candidates are contesting the 2024 elections from the Bangalore South seat. Here’s a list of some of the prominent names:

2019 result

After the demise of its long-time MP Ananth Kumar in November 2018, the BJP fielded Tejasvi Surya from Bangalore South in the 2019 elections. Surya defeated Congress candidate BK Hariprasad by more than 3.3 lakh votes.

Click here to follow Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 2 Voting Live updates. 

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi in Bengaluru today: Here is a complete list of routes to avoid

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bengaluru on Saturday afternoon, the city police have issued a traffic advisory to avoid congestion, enhance security during the VVIP movement and ensure a smooth flow of traffic for commuters.

The traffic restrictions in Karnataka‘s capital city will remain in place between 1 pm and 7 pm.

“Because of VVIP visiting Bengaluru City on 20.04.2024, from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm parking of all types of vehicles on the following roads, is prohibited. During the said period commuters are advised to avoid following roads and use alternative routes,” read the police advisory.

Here’s a complete list of roads to avoid during the day:

Palace Road.
M V Jayaram Road.
Vasanthanagar Road.
Jayamahal Road.
C Raman Road.
Bellary Road.
Ramanamaharshi Road.
Nandidurga Road.
Tharalabalu Road.
Mount Carmel College Road.
From Mekhri Circle towards Yeshwanthpura.

The city police also imposed restrictions on heavy goods vehicles between 12 pm to 9 pm. “Traffic movement heavy goods vehicles are strictly prohibited from 12 pm to 9 pm to enter the city,” the advisory stated.

These are the traffic diversion points for heavy goods vehicles — CMTI Junction, Mysuru Bank Junction, Hebbal Junction, New BEL Junction, BHEL Under Pass, Basaveshwara Circle, Old Udaya TV Junction and Haj Camp, and Nandidurga Road.

Prime Minister Modi is visiting Bengaluru city and neighbouring Chikkaballapura district today to campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The North, South and Central constituencies of Bengaluru have been a stronghold of the BJP, and the Bengaluru Rural seat is represented by Congress’ DK Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Fourteen  Lok Sabha segments in the southern part of the state will be voting for in the second phase of the elections on April 26. Voting for the remaining 14 seats in the northern districts will be held on May 7. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Kolkata court grants NIA 3-day transit remand of key accused

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A Kolkata court on Friday, April 12, granted a three-day transit remand to the two key accused arrested in the Bengaluru cafe blast case, allowing the NIA to take them to the Karnataka capital for further investigation. The chief judge of the city sessions court granted the transit remand to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) following a prayer by the agency.

The investigative agency apprehended two key suspects, including the alleged mastermind, in the investigation of the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, earlier in the day. The accused, Adbul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa and Mussavir Hussain Shazib, were arrested from a hotel in Purba Medinipur district’s seaside tourist town Digha, around 190 km from Kolkata, the NIA said.

The arrested individuals were reportedly hiding in the vicinity of Kolkata under assumed identities. Taahaa is believed to have orchestrated the planning and execution of the blast, while Shazib is accused of placing the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the cafe in Bengaluru.

This development triggered a heated exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), with each party blaming the other for various aspects of the incident. While the BJP alleged that the TMC has turned West Bengal into a “safe haven for terrorists”, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the accused were arrested due to the state police’s prompt action.

The officials said, “this pursuit was supported by coordinated action and cooperation among the NIA, central intelligence agencies and the state police agencies of West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala”.

The Rameshwaram Cafe, situated on ITPL Road in Brookefield, Bengaluru, was rocked by an IED explosion on March 1, resulting in injuries to several customers and staff members and causing extensive property damage. The NIA took over the investigation on March 3 and had announced a substantial reward for information leading to the arrest of Taahaa and Shazib.

Subsequent to the arrests, BJP leader Amit Malviya criticized the TMC, accusing it of fostering an environment conducive to terrorism in West Bengal. In contrast, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attributed the swift arrests to the prompt action taken by the state police.

“NIA detains two chief suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and accomplice Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, from Kolkata. Both likely belong to ISIS cell in Shivamogga, Karnataka. West Bengal, unfortunately, under Mamata Banerjee, has become a safe haven for terrorists,” Malviya said in a post on X. Addressing a rally in Cooch Behar, Chief Minister Banerjee accused the BJP of spreading canards against the state.

She said, “Heard one BJP leader saying that Bengal is not safe. The accused were arrested within two hours following a prompt response by police. What about the states where you are in power?”

TMC leader Kunal Ghosh also countered Malviya and said the accused were arrested with the help of West Bengal Police. “Well done @WBPolice in connection with the Bengaluru-cafe blast arrest. Even @NIA_India has acknowledged it in their statements. Any anti-forces should be strictly dealt with. But let me ask to @BJP4India and their minions – where is this arrests made from? KANTHI. We all know which family and BJP’s main leader runs illegal activities from Contai,” Ghosh said in a post on X without naming anyone.

Kanthi or Contai is considered to be the stronghold of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and his family. Ghosh requested the state agencies to investigate the “family’s alleged role in the incident”.

West Bengal Police also termed the BJP’s claims “falsehood”. “WEST BENGAL POLICE EXPOSES LIES OF BJP & THEIR CHEAP TROLLS. Falsehood at its worst! Contrary to the claims made by @amitmalviya, the fact is that, two suspects in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case have been arrested from Purba Medinipur in a JOINT operation by the West Bengal Police and the Central Intelligence Agencies. The proactive role of WBP in the matter has been officially acknowledged by the Central Agencies,” West Bengal Police posted on X.

It said the state has never been a safe haven for terrorists and it will continue to remain ever-vigilant to keep its people safe.

With inputs from PTI.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow