14 Karnataka MLAs taken to Pune from Mumbai, expected to reach Goa in special flight
Panaji: Fourteen MLAs of the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka, who left Mumbai on Monday evening for Goa, were taken to Pune and are expected to reach the coastal state on Tuesday in a special flight, sources said.
The MLAs -- 10 of the Congress, two of the JD (S) and two Independents -- were to travel to Goa by road, accompanied by Mumbai BJP Yuva Morcha president Mohit Bhartiya, the sources said.
But, they were taken to Pune in Maharashtra from where they are likely to take a flight to Goa, they said.
Maharashtra BJP legislator Prasad Lad earlier said the 14 MLAs left the luxury hotel in Mumbai where they were put up at 5 pm on Monday.
They are expected to stay at a resort in Goa, the sources said.
"They might come to Goa on Tuesday by a special flight. Arrangements have been made for their stay at a five- star hotel," a BJP leader from Goa said on condition of anonymity.
The year-old Congress-Janata Dal (S) coalition government in Karnataka is on the brink of collapse after the spate of resignations by the MLAs.
The Karnataka Assembly has 225 members, including one nominated MLA. The halfway mark in the 225-member Assembly is 113. Before the latest spate of resignations, the Congress had 78 MLAs, the JD(S)-37 and the BJP-105.
The Congress-JD(S) coalition effectively had the support of 119 MLAs in an Assembly where the halfway mark was 113.
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
