Mysuru, May 17 (IANS) Karnataka BJP leaders have expressed concerns over the recent cases of crime against women in the state.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Thursday, Karnataka’s Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka said that a series of murders of women are being reported in the state.

“We don’t know whether the Police Department is dead or alive. Another young woman named Anjali had been hacked to death in Hubballi on Wednesday…,” he added.

20-year-old Anjali Ambiger was stabbed to death by a youth when she was asleep at her house at Veerapur Oni area in Hubballi on Wednesday early morning.

Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who was in Gadag city on Thursday, also hit out at the police. “Although Anjali’s family had lodged a death threat complaint, the police did not arrest the accused… indirectly resulting in Anjali’s murder,” said Bommai, adding that police are being used to “suppress political opponents in the state”.

“There was a complete failure of the police in this case. The accused in the Anjali murder case had threatened that he would kill her just like Neha Hiremath… Anjali’s family has also complained about this. This murder could have been averted if the police had arrested the accused,” he said.

Bommai said law and order have completely deteriorated in the state. “Hooligans are roaming freely and fearlessly in the state. There is no safety for the lives of common people and girls in the state. There is an atmosphere of fear and hooliganism in the state,” he added.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, May 17 (IANS) Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara met the parents of the minor girl who was recently beheaded by a man in Kodagu district and said that steps will be taken to set up a special court for the trial in the case to provide justice to the victim’s family.

Home Minister Parameshwara made the remarks on Thursday while speaking to media persons after visiting the scene of the crime in Kumabaragadige village near Somwarpet town in Kodagu and meeting the victim’s family.

He said that the investigation has revealed that the accused, identified as Prakash (32), was forcibly trying to get engaged with the girl. As soon as officials learnt about it, they halted the engagement. Subsequently, the accused went to the girl’s house, quarrelled, and pressured her parents to get their daughter married to him. He then attacked her mother, dragged the victim, and committed the crime, the Home Minister said.

“This is unacceptable by any standard. The accused has already been arrested, and the police are working to get him punished in accordance with the law. While the girl cannot be brought back, the government will strive to deliver justice to the family. A special prosecutor will be appointed, and a special court will be set up for the trial of the case,” he added.

The Home Minister further said that he is deeply pained by the incident, however, due to the model code of conduct, he is unable to announce compensation for the family. “The government will take action after the model code of conduct is lifted,” he said.

About former CM Jagadish Shettar’s statement regarding “deteriorating” law and order in the state, Parameshwara said: “If the statistics during Shettar’s rule are analyzed, he would see how many murders, rapes, and crimes had occurred. I do not need a certificate from Shettar.”

The 16-year-old victim was hacked to death by the accused on May 9 following the cancellation of their engagement.

The accused had beheaded the victim with a machete and escaped with her severed head to the forest. Police found the severed head on a tree on May 11.

After being caught, the accused told police that he was distraught after the cancellation of the engagement. He had confessed that he committed the crime after a heated argument with the girl in the forest.

The girl had passed her Class 10th board exam and was celebrating just before being killed.

–IANS

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Panaji, May 17 (IANS) The Wanarmare sub-tribe of the Katkari community, dwelling in Malpe-Virnoda in North Goa, is in a joyous mood as the first student of their community has cleared the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination with a score of 44 per cent, without taking tuitions.

The Wanarmare tribe, originally from Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, made Goa their home about a century ago. The tribe resides at two locations in Goa — Nirankal in South Goa and Malpe in the North, with a population of around 200 to 300 people.

Ganesh Pawar has distinguished himself as the first student from Virnoda to pass the SSC examination.

Hanuman Pawar, father of Ganesh, told IANS that it was the best moment in his life, wherein his eldest son passed the SSC examination. “He is the first student from our tribe, who has completed the tenth standard. I am very happy and hope children from our community get educated,” Hanuman Pawar, father of five children, said.

“We have no permanent job. Whoever hires us to do any work in agriculture or any other field, we take it and earn money. We don’t have a permanent location to stay as we don’t own any land. We stay on landlords land and have to vacate it whenever they ask,” he said.

Pawar said that Ganesh has not yet decided about pursuing further education. “But I am encouraging him to pursue whatever he wishes,” he said.

Ganesh said that he is deeply grateful for the opportunities that education has opened up for him

“My journey through school was challenging, but it taught me that perseverance and support can change our destinies. This achievement is not mine alone, it belongs to my entire community. I hope my story will inspire other children from my community to pursue their dreams and believe in the possibility of a brighter future,” he said.

Peter F. Borges, Chairperson, Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said: “We are immensely proud of Ganesh’s accomplishment, which marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to ensure education for every child. His success reaffirms our belief that with the right support and opportunities, every child can overcome barriers and achieve their potential. This is a victory for Ganesh, a victory for the Katkari community, and a victory for all of us who believe in the power of education to transform lives.”

–IANS

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Jaipur, May 17 (IANS) Food Safety officials issued challans against four traders after seizing a huge quantity of fruit ripening chemicals from their shops in Muhana Mandi’s vegetable market here on Thursday.

The seizures were made on Thursday morning during an inspection led by Pankaj Ojha, Additional Commissioner of the Food Safety Department.

Ojha said, “Chemicals were kept between heaps of papaya and mango baskets and they were used to get them ripened. Small packets of these chemicals were seen in different places among the fruits. Apart from this, there were large quantities of raw bananas in gas chambers which were constructed in (some) shops. These bananas were also being ripened with the use of chemicals.”

Ojha said that a Food Safety team inspected shops, firms and warehouses of fruit sellers following the direction of Food Safety and Drug Control Commissioner Iqbal Khan.

Challans were issued against four traders and fruit samples collected from their shops were sent to the Central Food Laboratory, Jaipur for testing. Further actions will be taken on the basis of lab reports, officials said.

–IANS

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New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police have suspended all police personnel stationed at the Chipiyana ‘chowki’ in Greater Noida West over the death of a youth under mysterious circumstances while being in police custody.

The youth reportedly hanged him inside the chowki, however, his family and relatives have accused the policemen of pressurizing him to take the extreme step.

Sensing the gravity of the situation, Additional CP (Law and Order) and DCP Central rushed to the Chipiyana chowki in the Bisrakh police station area.

After the officials got a first-hand account of the suspicious death, Police Commissioner Laxmi Singh announced the suspension of the entire staff of the police chowki. Further, a complaint is also lodged, taking into account the series of events leading to the youth’s death.

According to DCP, Central Noida, the deceased has been identified as Yogesh Kumar, a resident of Aligarh. He worked at a local workshop in Chipiyana area. Kumar on Wednesday night was brought to the chowki for questioning after allegations were made against him by a colleague

On Thursday morning at around 10 a.m., he reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself inside the police barrack. Though the exact reason for the suicide is yet to be ascertained, Kumar’s family have levelled serious allegations against the policemen.

Talking to media persons, the family claimed that Rs 5 lakh was sought for Kumar’s release. “I gave them Rs 50,000 and also Rs 1,000 for buying liquor. I was there at the chowki in the night. I told them that I would give the remaining Rs 4.5 lakh by morning. The policemen told me that they will release my brother after receiving money,” Kumar’s brother said, adding that the next morning, “my brother was killed by policemen”.

–IANS

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