Urgent need for safety measures on Bhatkal Highway as accidents continue unabated
Bhatkal: The growing number of fatal accidents on the national highway passing through Bhatkal town has become a matter of grave concern, with both human and animal lives being lost almost every week. Citizens allege that despite repeated incidents, the administration and elected representatives have failed to take adequate steps to address the issue.
On Saturday morning, a tragic accident occurred in front of Nooru Masjid, claiming the life of a man on the spot, while a woman sustained serious injuries. Such incidents have become disturbingly frequent, raising alarm among residents. While there may be several reasons behind the recurring mishaps, locals point to two major causes in particular.
Lack of Traffic Police Presence
Firstly, there is no permanent deployment of traffic police personnel along the stretch of the highway that runs through the town. This absence has led to reckless driving and poor enforcement of traffic rules.
Dangerous BSNL Slope
Secondly, the steep slope near the BSNL office on the bypass has become a dangerous spot. Vehicles moving uphill and downhill often find themselves in precarious situations, resulting in accidents and traffic congestion.
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Other High-Risk Areas
Apart from these, several other points in the town have emerged as accident-prone zones. Near Circuit House, vehicles entering from the old town and moving towards Hospital Road or Anjuman College Road face the constant risk of colliding with heavy trucks from behind. The problem worsens on Sundays due to the rush of market vehicles.
Similarly, KSRTC bus stand, Shamsuddin Circle, Rangeen Katte, and other busy junctions are proving equally unsafe for commuters. Pedestrians, especially near the BSNL slope, are also left vulnerable due to the absence of basic facilities to safely cross or climb the stretch.
Public Appeal
Concerned citizens have put forward a set of urgent demands to the local authorities and people’s representatives:
* Permanent deployment of traffic police personnel at all accident-prone locations.
* Installation of barricades along the highway to enforce speed control.
* Mandatory red traffic lights at these barricades and other danger zones.
Residents stress that even a small lapse can lead to major tragedies. They are urging every citizen to raise their voice before their representatives and pressurise the administration to act urgently. For them, it is not just a matter of convenience, but of saving precious human lives.
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Former South Korean President Yoon receives life sentence for imposing martial law
Seoul (AP): Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024.
Judge Jee Kui-youn said he found Yoon guilty of rebellion for mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal attempt to seize the liberal-led National Assembly, arrest politicians and establish unchecked power for a “considerable” time.
Yoon is likely to appeal the verdict.
A special prosecutor had demanded the death penalty for Yoon, saying his actions posed a threat to the country's democracy and deserved the most serious punishment available, but most analysts expect a life sentence since the poorly-planned power grab did not result in casualties.
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South Korea has not executed a death row inmate since 1997, in what is widely seen as a de facto moratorium on capital punishment amid calls for its abolition.
As Yoon arrived in court, hundreds of police officers watched closely as Yoon supporters rallied outside a judicial complex, their cries rising as the prison bus transporting him drove past. Yoon's critics gathered nearby, demanding the death penalty.
The court also convicted and sentenced several former military and police officials involved in enforcing Yoon's martial law decree, including ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who received a 30-year jail term for his central role in planning the measure and mobilizing the military.
Yoon, a staunch conservative, has defended his martial law decree as necessary to stop liberals, whom he described as “anti-state” forces, from obstructing his agenda with their legislative majority.
The decree lasted about six hours before being lifted after a quorum of lawmakers managed to break through a military blockade and unanimously voted to lift the measure.
Yoon was suspended from office on December 14, 2024, after being impeached by lawmakers and was formally removed by the Constitutional Court in April 2025. He has been under arrest since last July while facing multiple criminal trials, with the rebellion charge carrying the most severe punishment.
Last month, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for resisting arrest, fabricating the martial law proclamation and sidestepping a legally mandated full Cabinet meeting before declaring the measure.
The Seoul Central Court has also convicted two of Yoon's Cabinet members in other cases. That includes Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who received a 23-year prison sentence for attempting to legitimize the decree by forcing it through a Cabinet Council meeting, falsifying records and lying under oath. Han has appealed the verdict.
