Kavita Chaudhary of 'Udaan' fame dies due to cardiac arrest
Amritsar, Feb 16: Kavita Chaudhary, star of the popular Doordarshan serial "Udaan", died at a hospital here following cardiac arrest on Thursday night. She was 67.
The actor, also popular as the homemaker Lalita ji in the Surf detergent commercials in India in the late 1980s, was admitted to the hospital a few days ago.
"She passed away following cardiac arrest last night around 8.30 pm in Amritsar at the hospital. She was admitted to the hospital a few days ago due to low blood pressure. Her condition became critical later," Ajay Sayal, Chaudhary's nephew, told PTI.
The last rites were held here on Friday morning. The actor is survived by Sayal and her niece.
Chaudhary was best known for her portrayal of IPS officer Kalyani Singh in "Udaan", a progressive show about women empowerment, which ran on Doordarshan between 1989 and 1991.
Besides starring, she wrote and directed the serial, which was inspired by the life of her elder sister and police officer Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya.
"Udaan", which also starred Shekhar Kapur, revolved around the struggle of a woman aspiring to be an IPS officer. The critically-acclaimed show, which inspired a generation of women to pursue public service, was brought back on Doordarshan for a re-run during the pandemic.
Actor Amit Behl was one of the colleagues who paid condolences on Chaudhary's demise.
"RIP Kavita Chaudhary, is baar aapne lambi udaan bhar li,Naman @CintaaOfficial @nsd_india," he wrote on X.
Later, Chaudhary produced Doordarshan shows "Your Honour" and "IPS Diaries".
RIP Kavita Chaudhary,is baar aapne lambi udaan bhar li,Naman 🙏🎭 @CintaaOfficial @nsd_india
— amit behl (@amitbehl1) February 16, 2024
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Karnataka: Home Department asks motorists to drive on highways with caution to avoid robbery
Belagavi: The Home Department has advised motorists to stay alert while travelling on national and state highways, warning that gangs involved in robbery and extortion have been active in several stretches. It said people should be extra cautious if anyone tries to stop their vehicle in isolated areas.
Replying to an unstarred question on Thursday, the department said Karnataka has recorded 403 highway robbery cases in the past three years. According to the data, national highways saw 81 extortion and 23 robbery cases in 2023, followed by 66 extortion and 16 robbery cases in 2024. Until November 15 this year, 51 extortion and 14 robbery cases have been reported.
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On state highways, 39 extortion and 17 robberies were reported in 2023, while 2024 saw 35 extortion and 22 robbery cases. In 2025 so far, 20 extortion and 19 robbery cases have taken place. The department noted that curbing highway robberies remains a major challenge for the police.
To tackle the issue, police stations have been directed to set up regular checkpoints on stretches of highways passing through their limits. Suspicious individuals and vehicles are being checked. Two-wheelers have been allocated to every station for night patrol, and staff have been instructed to conduct night rounds using vehicles fitted with sirens and red lights.
