Mangaluru: Four members of a family commit suicide in hotel room
Mangaluru: Four members of a family allegedly committed suicide in a room of Karuna Residency on KS Rao Road in the city.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Kuldeep Kumar Jain has said that the deceased have been identified as Devendra (46), his wife Nirmala (46) and their nine-year-old twin daughters Chaithra and Chaithanya, who were natives of Vijayanagara in Mysuru.
The matter came to light when the hotel staff opened the door with a spare key on Friday, after the family overstayed their booking - the family had taken the room on rent on March 27 and were supposed to vacate on March 30.
Devendra is suspected to have killed his children by giving them poisoned food and then strangled his wife to death, before committing suicide by hanging himself.
The death note said that the family faced severe financial problems, said the police officer.
Police have filed a case and further investigation is on, said the commissioner.
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One-third of Karnataka’s coastal areas at risk of erosion: Report
Bengaluru: A recent study commissioned by the Karnataka government has revealed that 28% of the state's 328.55-km coastline is experiencing high levels of erosion. The report, submitted by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management to the Environment Department, shows that the length of eroding stretches has more than doubled, from 43.7 km in 1990 to 91.6 km in 2024.
Titled Shoreline Management Plan Along Karnataka Coast, the report highlights the impact of increased sediment barriers and upstream activities on coastal erosion. It also calls for the adoption of nature-based solutions to counter the effects of climate change and human activities.
District-wise findings
The coastline of Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada spans 328.55 km, with varying levels of erosion across the districts:
Uttara Kannada: Although 28% of its 193-km coastline is eroded, the district accounts for 39% of the state’s total erosion due to increased coastal development.
Udupi: Despite 43% of the coastline being protected by seawalls, 38% remains affected by erosion, contributing to 32% of Karnataka's overall erosion.
Dakshina Kannada: The district’s 37-km coastline faces “critical” erosion, with 39% of its stretches severely impacted, including areas such as Uchil and Batapady.
The report warns that coastal erosion threatens habitations, estuarine environments, mangroves, mudflats, and fish landing areas.
Recommendations
Identifying 44 critical erosion zones, the report suggests:
1. Beach nourishment through sand replenishment.
2. Rehabilitation of sand dunes and bioshields.
3. Mangrove afforestation to stabilise coastlines and support fisheries.
The findings will inform the Karnataka-Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy (K-SHORE) project, which prioritises nature-based solutions over hard approaches like seawalls. R Gokul, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, stated that the Rs 840-crore project will focus on mangrove planting, beach nourishment, and tackling plastic pollution. These measures aim to protect the coastline and boost the blue economy.
The report will also guide the Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority in reviewing coastal development proposals.
