Sullia, June 16: An Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) personnel who had been to combing operation against suspected naxals died of cardiac arrest amidst the forest at Madappadi village in the Kilar Male reserve forest in Dakshina Kannada- Kodagu border on Saturday.
The personnel is identified as Rangaswamy (40) of Bhadravati. He was serving in Karkala ANF unit. His family was settled in Bengaluru. He is survived by wife and a daughter. Another daughter had died last year in an accident.
Four teams of ANF force and Anti-Naxal Squad (ANS) were jointly engaged in combing operation as there was news that suspected naxals visited a house at Hadikal in the taluk on Thursday night. Karkala and Bhagamandala unit ANF and ANS teams comprising 70 personnel started their combing operation from today morning.
When the personnel were combing at Kotegudde, just 6 km from the place where the suspected naxals visited, Rangaswamy collapsed due to heart attack at around 4 am. The ANF personnel conducted the first aid, but in vain. Later, the personnel carried the body of Rangaswamy from Mayilakote to the residence of Puttanna Gowda for almost 2 km amidst the forest. Later, his body was transported in the vehicle and brought to Sullia KVG hospital.
Suspected naxals have said to be visited the farm house of Jayaram HB of Hadikal in Madappadi village in the forest area. Later, combing operation was intensified. All the four teams were pressed into action in Kodagu-Dakshina Kannada border area like Kadamakallu, Sampaje, Hadikallu and Kotegudde. Rangaswamy was in the team which has gone to Kotegudde area.
As it was a thick forest and there was leech menace, the ANF personnel found it difficult to carry the body down the hill. Knowing the incident, hundreds of people gathered at Madappadi village.
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Panaji (PTI): At least 25 persons were killed and six others suffered injuries in a massive fire that erupted at a nightclub in North Goa after midnight on Sunday, police said.
While the police earlier said 23 persons died in the fire, they later confirmed two more deaths.
The fire at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora in North Goa has claimed 25 lives, a police spokesperson said.
The deceased included four tourists and 14 staff members, while the identity of the remaining seven was yet to be established, he said.
Six persons suffered injuries in the blaze and they are currently undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, near here, the official said.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, he said.
"The police and fire department are conducting the investigation and legal action is being taken," the official said.
As per initial information, the nightclub had not abided by the fire safety norms, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.
The nightclub, a popular party venue at Arpora village, located around 25 km from the state capital Panaji, opened last year.
“We will take action against the club management and also against the officials who allowed it to operate despite flouting safety norms,” Sawant said.
“This is an unfortunate incident during the peak tourist season in the coastal state,” Sawant said. “We will conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident and stringent action will be taken against the guilty,” he added.
