KCOCA invoked in Udupi kidnap case; 7 arrested, hunt on for 2 key accused
Udupi: Police have invoked the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) in last year’s abduction case under Kota police limits and arrested seven accused. A search is underway to trace two key accused who are still absconding.
The arrested have been identified as Deviprasad Shetty (33) of Katipalla, Surathkal; Sudeep (22); Mithun Kaikamba (20); Sreesha Anand Shetty (35) of Krishnapura; Sujith (27) of Anjaru village, Hiriyadka; Suhas (31) of Padukudru, Kemmannu; and Manoj V. Kotyan (34) of Hoode, Kemmannu.
The main accused, Manoj Kodikere (42) of Jokatte, Mangaluru, and Chetan Kulal (38) of Padur Rottigudi in Bantwal taluk, are absconding, police said.
According to the complaint, Tejas, son of Mohan Das Shetty from Siddapur village, was abducted on November 19, 2025, around noon near Coastal Paradise Hotel in Sasthan. When Mohan Das Shetty reached the spot, he found his son’s car abandoned. During enquiries, Tejas contacted him through a WhatsApp audio call and informed that he had been kidnapped by a group of two to three persons acting on the instructions of Manoj Kodikere.
Soon after, an unidentified person called and demanded Rs 50 lakh for Tejas’s release, threatening to kill him if the money was not paid. In a subsequent call, the demand was raised to Rs 3 crore, with a similar threat.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered at Kota police station. During investigation, police found that the accused had acted in an organised manner, following which KCOCA provisions were invoked. Kundapur DySP H.D. Kulkarni led the investigation, arrested the accused and produced them before a court, which remanded them to judicial custody.
Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar has announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to the arrest of the absconding accused Manoj Kodikere and Chetan Kulal.
Police said Manoj Kodikere has 18 cases registered in Mangaluru city and two in Udupi district, while Chetan Kulal has 11 cases in Mangaluru city and two in Udupi district.
Those with information about the accused can contact Kundapur DySP H.D. Kulkarni at 9480805422. Police have assured that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
