Karnataka sees 65% surge in offences related to religion over four years: Report
Bengaluru: In a troubling development, Karnataka has recorded a sharp rise in offences linked to religion, with cases surging by nearly 65% over the past four years.
Data from the State Crime Records Bureau (SCRB), cited by The New Indian Express on Thursday, reveals that such incidents rose from 208 in 2021 to 345 in 2024.
As of May this year alone, 123 religion-related cases were registered across the state. Communal and religious riots have also seen a steep increase—jumping by over 133%, from 9 incidents in 2021 to 21 in 2024.
Experts attribute the spike to a combination of misinformation spread through social media, a politically polarised environment, and entrenched religious and caste-based tensions in specific districts. Despite government initiatives such as the creation of an anti-communal wing and a special action force, these measures have shown little tangible impact on the ground, added the report.
A serving police commissioner in the state quoted by TNIE cited several institutional shortcomings. “The police have failed to take preventive actions, such as arresting the accused or invoking the Goonda Act against troublemakers,” the commissioner said.
The commissioner also alleged inconsistencies in enforcement, claiming that arrests are often swift when common citizens are involved, but delayed if the accused are politically connected. “If any religious or communal issue arises, there is often direct political party backing on both sides. Political patronage for communal offenders, regardless of which party is in power, is not a new phenomenon in the state,” the officer noted.
Another senior IPS officer serving as a Superintendent of Police in a district echoed similar concerns, adding that a deep sense of communal hatred has taken root in society. “People are increasingly intolerant, even toward minor mischief by members of other communities,” TNIE quoted him as saying. The officer lamented that low conviction rates allow many offenders to evade justice, encouraging repeat offences.
Previously, communal incidents were often confined to specific areas, but social media has significantly widened their reach. The police, however, are stepping up efforts to curb the spread of communal content online and are engaging in community outreach programmes to improve the intelligence network with local leaders, the report added.
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Malayalam actor Rajesh Keshav in ICU after cardiac arrest
Kochi (PTI): Malayalam actor Rajesh Keshav is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after suffering a cardiac arrest on August 24, hospital sources said on Wednesday.
The 47-year-old actor, known for notable roles in various films and TV shows, was admitted to the hospital on Sunday night after collapsing at a city hotel.
He was first taken to the Emergency Department and successfully revived through immediate resuscitation, the hospital said in a statement.
Keshav was then shifted to the Cath Lab, where an emergency angioplasty was performed, it said, adding that he had suffered a prolonged cardiac arrest, which resulted in a moderate hypoxic injury.
The Neuro Wing is closely monitoring his neurological recovery, and encouraging signs of progress are being observed, they explained.
"At present, he remains in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) under advanced life support," the statement said.
His condition is serious but showing gradual improvement, with a multidisciplinary team of doctors actively involved in his treatment, it added.
