Mangaluru: During the one-hour phone-in program held by Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Kuldeep Kumar Jain on Saturday, 32 residents called the phone line and most of them voiced their concerns about the disturbance caused by private city buses, various other topics including parking of vehicles in busy spots of the city, driving at a speed exceeding the limits on internal roads were addressed.

Meanwhile, a caller, Harish from Jeppinamogaru appealed to the commissioner to re-appoint Hameed who was posted at the Jeppinamogaru junction and performed his duty efficiently. But was removed from his duty at the junction post COVID-19. 

Hearing his appeal, the commissioner expressed happiness over the matter that even though the people are not aware of the names of the senior police officials, they are aware about the names of the home guards posted in their respective localities. 

A man from Mulki who had called the phone line informed the commissioner that he is involved in (Chit funds). Furthermore, expressing his pain to the commissioner, “the man stated that since some people have not paid the money as agreed, I am unable to settle dues with others, and now I am receiving threats. I need to leave town immediately.”   

Responding to the man’s plight, the commissioner asked him to drop his plans of leaving the town and requested him to provide complete details of his occupation, based on which Jain said, “Let's see how action can be taken.” 

Jain further informed that bus owners themselves have guaranteed to undertake safety of both passengers and the bus crew, this comes after the tragic death of a bus conductor after he fell from the footboard of a private city bus near Nanthoor. 

Furthermore, he stated that a meeting concerning increasing the safety of passengers in private city buses has been conducted with the bus owners. “ Instructions have been issued to the bus owners to strictly install doors on new buses, and In the case of old buses, an instruction has also been given that the driver should move the vehicle only after ensuring that there is no one on the footboard of the bus.

In addition, responding to a reporter's question about the security measures in place, Jain mentioned that police officers deployed at famous junctions of the city along with bus owners are overseeing, inspecting that safety measures are being taken within the buses. 

In the meantime, a local shopkeeper who called the commissioner stated that “he supports the drug free campaign, and it is going well, however why a fine is being imposed on selling cigarettes,” He questioned. 

Responding to the shopkeeper’s query, Jain gently added that “we have no intention of causing you trouble. However, as per the law, the sale of such items is not allowed within 100 meters of schools and colleges. Additionally, there is no permission to sell loose cigarettes. The company cannot influence or allow the sale of cigarettes without packs.”

Other major complaints and demands from the residents include: 

  1. Vehicles left unattended along the stretch from Pumpwell to Padil road need to be removed
  2. Over the past few days, vehicle owners have been unable to obtain pollution certificates due to server outage
  1. A signal should be installed near the Haleyangadi, Mulki junction.
  1. In prominent locations across the city, shopkeepers are placing 'No Parking' boards on footpaths. Although the police have taken action once, it continues to persist
  1. It is essential to implement traffic rules on Thokkottu-Konaje Pilar Road, where vehicles exceed speed limits.
  1. Elderly citizens are having a tough time finding seats on buses. Even when informed to the conductors, they do not make arrangements. Senior citizens also have problems boarding the buses due to the footboard's height.
  1. Some of the auto drivers in the city unnecessarily honk horns 
  1. It is difficult to walk on the footpath stretch near Valencia  as drivers of ambulances leave the doors of their vehicles open.
  1. Illegal sand mining is taking place near Adoor, Gurupura, and Maravoor during the night.
  1. CCTV cameras need to be installed near the Muthappan Temple, situated close to the Central Railway Station.

DCP Anshu Kumar and ACP Geetha Kulakarni were present on this occasion.

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Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Nov 26: A newborn baby boy was allegedly kidnapped from Kalaburagi district hospital by two women disguised as hospital staff, police said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at around 3 pm on Monday, they said.

CCTV footage from the hospital premises shows the two women wandering around the campus. Additional footage captures them fleeing the hospital with the infant.

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Police said that the suspects, dressed in white doctor’s aprons and with their faces partially covered, posed as hospital staff.

"They approached the mother, claiming the baby needed tests, and then fled with the infant," police added.

"We have registered a case under Section 137 (Kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Three teams have been formed to trace the accused and recover the baby. We have some leads, and our teams are actively working on the case," a senior police officer stated.

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