Five-year-old boy in Bhatkal falls accidentally, drowns in swimming pool
Bhatkal: In an incident reported from a resort near Jali Beach in Bhatkal, a five-year-old boy died of drowning after he accidentally fell into a swimming pool on Thursday evening.
The boy is identified as Mohammed Mustaqeem Sheikh, son of Moulvi Shahidullah, who is a teacher at the local Madrasa. Sheikh was studying in lower kindergarten at the Madrasa.
Family sources have said that Sheikh, who was staying in the resort with his mother and younger brother, slipped and fell into the five-foot deep swimming pool when his mother was not around. His mother is said to have rushed to the spot and got her son out of the waters. Youngsters who were near the resort tried to revive the boy with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and then took him to a private hospital nearby, but the doctors confirmed that Sheikh had died.
A post-mortem examination was conducted at the taluk government hospital after which, the body of the deceased boy was handed over to the family at 8 pm.
Sheikh’s teachers at the Madrasa and several others are learned to have visited the hospital and paid their condolence to the family.
The funeral rites of the boy completed at the Tanzeem Millia Masjid in the Nawayat Colony on the Thursday-Friday midnight.
Bhatkal Police have registered a case and an investigation is underway.
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Guv Gehlot clears bill paving way for Panchayat elections through ballots
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has given his assent to the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act that will pave the way for holding the Panchayat elections through ballots instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Following the assent, the Act was notified in the state gazette on Wednesday.
The bill was passed by both houses of the Karnataka legislature in March during the budget session, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
As per the law, the principle of secrecy of the ballot is a cornerstone of free and fair elections, as recognised by the judiciary, which emphasised that the secrecy of the ballot protects voters from coercion, intimidation, and undue influence, thereby safeguarding the sanctity of the democratic process in several judgments of the Supreme Court.
Some concerns have been raised regarding the functioning of EVMs, necessitating a return to the robust secret ballot paper system to restore public trust, according to the Act.
Justifying its decision, the Karnataka government said there is “a growing consensus on the need to strengthen electoral mechanisms that prioritise anonymity and transparency”.
