Meanwhile Bengaluru Urban district also topped the list of positive cases, with a total of 3,95,769, followed by Mysuru 53,097 and Ballari 39,090. Among the discharges too, Bengaluru Urban headed the list with 3,86,260, followed by Mysuru 51,852 and Ballari 38,396.
A total of over 1,62,17,753 samples have been tested so far, out of which 84,090 were tested on Wednesday alone, the bulletin said. Among U.K. returnees, 14 people have so far tested positive for the strain of coronavirus from that country.
Also Read | Farmers join Congress rallies in Bengaluru to support Delhi stir, top leaders detained
So far 50 UK returnees and 26 primary contacts have tested positive during RT-PCR tests, among whom 14 have been confirmed with the UK strain, it said.
Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa Thursday announced that the government has released funds towards erecting a statue and a pilgrimage centre at the birthplace of late Shivakumara Swami of Siddhaganga Mutt.
"The government will issue an order to observe January 21 as 'dasoha day' to offer free food in memory of Shivakumara Swamiji who ensured free food, shelter and education to thousands of orphans. Rs 25 crore has already been released for the pilgrimage centre project and action will be taken to grant more money."
monthly limit of free stories.
with an Express account.
Meawhile, Deputy CM Ashwathnarayan said, "The birthplace of Shivakumar Swamiji will be developed as a global toursim destination. The works are already underway to install a 111-feet high statue at Veerapura village in Ramanagara."
A revered seer of the Lingayat-Veerashaiva faith, the pontiff had passed away on January 21, 2019 at the age of 111.
Karnataka has so far vaccinated over one lakh beneficiaries with COVID-19 vaccine, the health department said on Thursday.
A total of 1,31,515 beneficiaries have been vaccinated to date since January 16, against the targeted 2,36,812, recording a 58 percent coverage in 2,847 sessions. “Karnataka has crossed one lakh beneficiaries for covid vaccination. Thanks to all the dedicated workers,” the health department said.
Customs officials at Karnataka's Mangalore International Airport (MIA) Thursday confirmed the arrest of a passenger who arrived from Dubai for allegedly trying to smuggle 870 grams of gold.
According to the customs department at MIA, the passenger has been identified as Ubaid Azeez, a native of Madikeri. "Azeez had arived from Dubai by Air India Express flight No. IX 1814 on January 20. The gold, in powder form, mixed with solid gum, was concealed in the body of the passenger. Gold of 24 carat purity weighing 870 grams, valued at Rs 44, 19, 600/- has been seized. He has been arrested," the official said.
The Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court Thursday rejected the bail application of former Congress minister Vinay Kulkarni, in connection with the Yogesh Gowda murder case under probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The single-judge bench headed by Justice K N Nataraj had heard the arguments from both sides on Wednesday after which the orders were posted for Thursday.
Gowda, a BJP Zilla panchayat member, was killed by unidentified men — who came on a bike on June 15, 2016 — outside his gym in Dharwad. The case was handed over to the CBI last year after BJP came to power in the state.
Bengaluru airport handled its first landing under CAT 3B conditions. Indigo flight from Lucknow touched down successfully this morning, according to airport authorities.
CAT-3B compliant is an upgradation that permits operations of flights in low visibility conditions. Bengaluru airport becomes the first in South India and sixth in the country to achieve this distinction.
"With this upgrade, the South Runway can facilitate aircraft landing with a Runway Visual Range as low as 50m and take-offs at 125m. Until now, the permissible visual range was 550m and 300m for landing and take-off respectively," authority said.
Former AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, who was rushed to a Bengaluru hospital on Wednesday evening, has diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) but is stable now.
Dr. Manoj Kumar HV, dean and director, Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Bengaluru, said that Sasikala can be discharged in 2-3 days. “She was admitted to hospital with the complaint of fever, cough, and breathlessness but now she is stable. She was diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) but her RT-PCR report has come out negative.”
Sasikala was taken to Victoria Hospital for CT Scan on Thursday morning. “Sasikala’s fever has come down and her oxygen saturation is normal. She was walking around and had her breakfast in the morning. We don’t think there is any problem now. Since she has SARI symptoms we have referred for a CT Scan,” Dr Manoj Kumar added.
Read more
The Supreme Court Thursday granted bail to Kannada actor Ragini Dwivedi, who was arrested in connection with the Sandalwood drugs case.
The 30-year-old actor was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru Police on September 4 for her alleged association with an international drug peddling racket that revolved around supplying psychedelic drugs to customers at big-ticket events and rave parties.
A bench of Justices R F Nariman, Navin Sinha and K M Joseph set aside a November 3, 2020 order of the Karnataka High Court refusing to grant bail to Dwivedi and others in the case registered under various provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Read more
After much delays, the Karnataka government Thursday allocated portfolios to the seven ministers inducted newly to the cabinet. The portfolios allocated to the ministers, according to a government notification issued by the Karnataka Governor are as follows:
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had announced expansion of his cabinet on January 13, inducting seven new ministers and dropping one minister to take the strength of the cabinet to 33 – one short of full capacity.
Read more
The Bengaluru City Police opened fire to nab an accused after he allegedly tried to attack police personnel to evade arrest. The accused have been identified by the police as Rajesh (23).
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Sanjiv M Patil, the police inspector of the Byadarahalli police station fired one round on the right leg of the prime accused of a robbery case. "The accused was absconding in that case," he added.
Explaining the incident, a police official added, "Rajesh attacked our Head Constable Srinivas with a knife leaving him injured on his left arm. The inspector then fired one round on the right leg of the accused as he did not back down even after firing warning rounds in the air. The accused was then overpowered and taken to a hospital for treatment."
Earlier this week, three other similar cases were reported from the jurisdictional limits of Girinagar, Peenya and KG Halli police stations in Bengaluru.
Karnataka on Wednesday reported one more death of a person in Shivamogga, who had received the Covid-19 vaccine. The Union health ministry, too, confirmed the death but claimed it had nothing to do with the vaccine.
“Death from Shivamogga in Karnataka is not related to vaccination, it is a suspected case of myocardial infarction,” read a statement issued by a Union Health ministry.
Nagraj, the district health officer in Shivamogga, too, said the death was unrelated to the vaccine. “The deceased is a 58-year-old male. He was a doctor associated with a private medical college in the district. As confirmed by a cardiologist, his death was due to a heart attack. He was a known cardiac and diabetic patient,” Nagraj told indianexpress.com.
Read more
In a relief to employees seeking more clarity on the Covid-19-related quarantine leave policy, the Karnataka government has issued an order directing employers in organised and unorganised sectors to ensure that salary is disbursed to staffers under quarantine because of infection and also see to it that they are isolated in a bid to keep the state’s caseload under check.
The order, issued by Chief Secretary P Ravi Kumar, specifies that it should be deemed effective right from the day the state went under lockdown. “…(workers) who are infected with Covid-19 and primary contacts of an infected person shall be entitled to full paid leave for the entire quarantine period as stipulated by the government. This order is applicable for employees/workers of the organised and unorganised sector(s),” the order read.
Read more
Hundreds of farmers joined Congress workers in rallies across Bengaluru on Wednesday to express solidarity with their counterparts on the fringes of Delhi, who have been holding protests for close to two months now demanding withdrawal of the contentious farm laws.
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar alleged that farmers coming to Bengaluru from across the state in response to its ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ call, were being stopped by the police. However, the Congress urged the farmers and their supporters to continue with their protests.
Read more
Karnataka reported as many as 463 adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) in 29 districts.
A majority of these AEFIs are minor in nature and only a few of these patients were hospitalised, according to the health department.
Karnataka has reported two deaths of people who have been vaccinated, one in Ballari and another in Shivamogga, the government has said the individuals in both cases died due to myocardial infarction and that their death is not vaccine-related.
The Karnataka government has submitted an undertaking to the High Court that no coercive action will be initiated for offences under the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Ordinance, 2020 till relevant rules are brought into force based on the draft rules notified recently.
Submissions regarding the same were made by Advocate-General Prabhuling K Navadgi before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum. The Bench was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations (PILs) which challenged the constitutional validity of the Ordinance promulgated recently.
Read more
The biannual flower show at Lalbagh which will be held during republic Day is postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Horticulture and Sericulture Minister Narayan Gowda held a meeting with the officials concerned and decided to postpone the show till Independence Day.
The Lalbagh flower show has its origins in the second half of the 19th century, inspired by The Great Spring Show, an annual flower show organised by the Royal Horticultural Society of England. Before the Glass House was built in 1890, the flower shows were held at the bandstand. The Lalbagh flower show became a biannual event in summer and winter from 1912.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner on Wednesday instructed to submit a comprehensive report on the religious structures that have come up illegally in parks, playgrounds, sidewalks and government land.
He held a meeting with officials and said that the PIL was filed in the Supreme Court in 2009 on the construction of unauthorized religious buildings in public places, which would apply not only to the BBMP but all unauthorized religious buildings should be listed and reported in public areas of all 8 zones. In addition, the notice issued to the religious buildings constructed after 2009 has been issued within 27 days.
Gorakhpur police have dropped kidnapping charges and charges filed under the anti-conversion law against a 22-year-old Muslim man from Karnataka, and booked him on accusations of rape and cheating. Mehboob Chapparband was brought to the district on Sunday along with a 19-year-old woman who had gone away with him to the southern state.
The police said the rape and cheating charges were invoked after the woman, in her statement to the magistrate on Tuesday, accused Mehboob of taking her to Karnataka by making false promises about a job for her, and also raped her there.
However, the woman denied Mehboob kidnapped her and tried to convert her to Islam.
According to the complainant, she came in contact with Mehboob through social media. Mehboob did not hide his real identity. He claimed to be working in the Merchant Navy even though he had quit his job a while ago.
Read more
Over the past few months, rumours have been circulating in Karnataka’s political circles about a CD that could be detrimental to the political interests of Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa. In recent months, chatter about this CD has peaked – especially after a January 13 cabinet expansion by Yediyurappa which left several BJP aspirants for ministerial berths disgruntled.
The content of the CD, its veracity and even its existence is not clear from the chatter with persons alleged to have obtained, circulated and received it not commenting on it.
The first time talk about the CD emerged in the public domain was in November 2020 after a close aide, grand nephew and political secretary of the CM, N R Santhosh was hospitalised following what was believed to be a suicide attempt.
Read more
Karnataka has been ranked the most innovative among major states by the NITI Aayog while Delhi topped the category among Union Territories. Delhi also stood out as the top performer among both states and UTs.
These rankings were part of NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index Report 2020, released by Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar. The exercise was initiated in 2019 and is on the lines of the Global Innovation Index (GII), which ranks countries annually.
The framework of the index includes globally considered parameters for measuring innovation, such as the percentage of GDP spent on research and development, while keeping them specific to the Indian economy.
Read more
Good morning!
Welcome to the live blog from Bengaluru where we bring to you the latest updates on COVID-19 vaccination, COVID-19, lockdown 6.0, unlock phase 6, Sandalwood drug case, Bengaluru violence, BBMP and more across Bengaluru and Karnataka. Follow the blog to stay up to date with the state in real time.