Karnataka: Two dead in separate rain-related incidents in Uttara Kannada
Karwar, Jun 15 (PTI): Two rain-related fatalities were reported in Uttara Kannada district as heavy monsoon rainfall continued to impact normal life along the Karnataka coast.
In the first incident, a two-year-old child died after accidentally falling into a roadside drain near their residence in the Jali area of Bhatkal town on Saturday. CCTV footage captured the moment the child slipped and fell into the water-filled drain.
In a separate incident, a 50-year-old man identified as Madewa Narayana Devadiga drowned after being swept away by floodwaters in Gulme Belalkhanda, Bhatkal taluk. He was walking home when he lost his balance in the rising water. Police have registered a case at the Bhatkal Rural Police Station in both cases.
The incidents come amid continued heavy rainfall in coastal Karnataka, where all coastal districts have been under red and orange alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Heavy monsoon showers in Uttara Kannada district have led to a series of landslides across multiple locations, disrupting road connectivity and raising fresh concerns over the stability of hill slopes altered for infrastructure development.
In the latest incident, a major landslide was reported late Friday night and again on Saturday at Devimane Ghat along the Shirsi–Kumta highway, blocking the movement of light vehicles. Officials said landslides occurred at four different points on the stretch, prompting authorities to temporarily halt traffic on the route.
Landslides were also reported near Raghavendra Math in Habbuwada and along National Highway-66 near Binaga and Baithkol. While no casualties were reported, waterlogging in low-lying areas has inundated homes and shops in parts of Karwar following three consecutive days of rain.
Civic rights activists of the district have expressed concern over what they allege are unscientific hill-cutting practices undertaken for road construction. Many believe that the reckless excavation of slopes without adequate reinforcement has made the region more vulnerable to monsoon-triggered landslides.
"There is an urgent need to restore damaged slopes and increase vegetation cover in landslide-prone zones. The forest department must also step in to ensure ecological stability," locals said.
The incidents come even as the India Meteorological Department has issued red and orange alerts for several coastal and Malnad districts of Karnataka.
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Porsche car crash case exposed systemic corruption: Pune police commissioner
Pune (PTI): The Porsche car crash case exposed "systemic corruption," but the Pune Police have successfully uncovered the nexus behind the replacement of the accused juvenile's blood samples with those of his mother, Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar said on Wednesday.
The case made national headlines after the high-end car allegedly driven by the 17-year-old boy in an inebriated state mowed down motorcycle-borne IT professionals Anish Awadhiya and Ashwini Costa in the Kalyani Nagar area on May 19 last year.
"Last year’s Porsche car crash case sparked widespread discussions about Pune’s deteriorating social culture, alleged police corruption, and several other issues. Amid all the criticism, one positive aspect stood out: the case exposed systemic corruption.
"It also demonstrated how the police, working within the same system, managed to uncover the entire nexus behind the replacement of the juvenile’s blood samples with those of his mother," Kumar said while addressing Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, an initiative aimed at raising awareness against drug addiction, organised at Modern College.
He added that the juvenile has been released since he was a minor.
"However, his mother has remained in jail for over a year, and his father continues to be behind bars. Doctors from Sassoon Hospital and others involved are also still in jail," Kumar said, adding that one mistake by a child, and an attempt by his parents to cover it up, destroyed an entire family.
He said the police will follow up on this case until every guilty person is punished.
Kumar also appealed to students to stay away from intoxicating substances and drugs.
"You are not only endangering your own life but also putting your entire family at risk," he said, urging the youth not to fall prey to harmful addictions.
"Instead, stand strong and act as a force to ensure that drug abuse is curbed in your surroundings. We assure you of full police support," he added.
He further stated that if youth from all colleges unite and decide to end this menace, "the day is not far when not even one gram of drug will be sold in the city".
The investigation into the car crash had revealed that the juvenile's blood samples were replaced with those of his mother.
The roles of Dr Ajay Taware, head of the forensic department, Medical Officer Shreehari Halnor, and a hospital staffer came under scrutiny.
While the mother is currently out on bail, the juvenile’s father, Sassoon Hospital doctors Taware and Halnor, staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen, Ashpak Makandar and Amar Gaikwad, and others remain in jail for the alleged blood sample swap.
