28 blackbucks die at Belagavi zoo, Forest Minister Khandre orders probe
Belagavi (Karnataka)(PTI) Twenty eight blackbucks have died under mysterious circumstances in the Kittur Rani Chennamma Zoo here in the past three days, a zoo official said on Saturday.
The zoo had 38 blackbucks of which 28 have died, which has alarmed the authorities.
Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwra Khandre has ordered a probe into the deaths. He expressed concern over the deaths.
According to the Assistant Conservator of Forest Nagaraj Balhasuri, eight blackbucks died two days ago while 20 died on Saturday.
He said the veterinary doctor at the zoo suspected that they died due to a bacterial infection though actual cause is yet to be ascertained.
"We have sent the viscera sample to the authorities at Bannerghatta Zoological Park in Bengaluru to find out the reason behind the death," Bale told reporters.
Forest Minister said in a statement that preliminary reports indicate that these deer died of an infectious disease, and all precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any other animal in the zoo from getting infected.
An expert committee should be formed to investigate whether these deaths were caused by consuming contaminated water and food or whether the disease was spread by domestic animals such as cats and to take appropriate action.
“It is a matter of concern that animals in the zoo are dying in this way. Such incidents should not recur in the future and that appropriate action should be taken as per the rules in case of negligence on the part of the staff,” he said.
He warned that action will be taken if it is found that they died due to negligence of the zoo staff.
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Gandhi a way of thinking which ideology of hate unsuccessfully tried to erase: Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said Mahatma Gandhi is not just a person, but a way of thinking that an empire, an ideology of hatred and arrogance of power unsuccessfully tried to erase at different points in time.
Terming Mahatma Gandhi the "immortal soul of India", the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha paid tributes to the Father of the Nation on his death anniversary, saying that along with Independence, he gave the nation a fundamental principle that the power of truth is greater than the power of authority.
"Mahatma Gandhi is not just a person, but a way of thinking that an empire, an ideology of hatred, and an arrogance of power have all unsuccessfully tried to erase at different points in time," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
"The Father of the Nation gave us, along with Independence, the fundamental principle that the power of truth is greater than the power of authority and that non-violence and courage are greater than violence and fear," Rahul Gandhi said.
This way of thinking cannot be extinguished, because Gandhi is immortal in the soul of India, he added.
Rahul Gandhi also paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Smriti at Tees January Marg here on Martyrs' Day, remembering the life and sacrifice of the Father of the Nation.
"His legacy of truth, courage, and compassion continues to guide our path and remind us of an India we must keep striving for -- just, harmonious, and united," the former Congress chief said in a Facebook post.
Sharing lines of a Bhajan that Mahatma Gandhi used to sing, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The hatred that separated us from Bapu, its solution also lies in Bapu's path. The light of truth, the power of non-violence, and the compassion of love. Homage to the Father of the Nation on Martyr's Day."
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.
Party general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, recalled two separate letters written by Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in 1948 to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, in which they strongly criticised and raised questions on the activities of the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS.
"Both are damning indictments of the self-declared custodians of nationalism. And to think that there is a Lok Sabha MP wedded to that ideology and who was blessed by the PM himself, who said that he could not choose between Gandhi and Godse. His mindset is revealing," Ramesh said on X, in an apparent reference to BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay's controversial remarks in 2024.
Ramesh also shared a link to Nehru's address on All India Radio on the night of January 30, 1948, after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.
In his letter to Mookerjee, Nehru had said the Hindu Mahasabha had held meetings in Pune, Ahmednagar and Delhi in defiance of the ban order.
"Speeches were delivered that Mahatma Gandhi was an impediment, and the sooner he died, the better it would be for the country. The RSS has behaved in an even worse way, and we have collected a mass of information about its very objectionable activities," Nehru had said in his letter.
Ramesh also shared a screenshot of Patel's letter to Mookerjee in which the former criticised the activities of the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha.
Paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi, Congress general secretary in charge of the organisation, K C Venugopal, said that on this day in 1948, the greatest soul to ever guide India and the world was "snatched away from us".
"Today, on Martyrs Day, let's remember Bapu's eternal teachings of Satya and Ahimsa, and warn ourselves of the culture of hate and violence that gave rise to his assassins," he said on X.
"In 2026, the threat remains of their ideological descendants eager to wipe out Gandhiji from our national consciousness. Repeatedly, we see those in the ruling regime evangelise his killers, encourage hate, and are now erasing entire schemes named after Mahatma Gandhi," Venugopal said.
The powers that be may have a delusion that they will succeed in diminishing Bapu through such acts, he said. "But Mahatma Gandhi and his values are deeply embedded in India's psyche, and no amount of effort from those who oppose him can ever succeed in erasing his towering legacy.
Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on this day in 1948. India observes the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi as Martyrs' Day to honour the life and legacy of the nation's foremost leader and his ultimate sacrifice for peace, justice, and freedom.
महात्मा गांधी एक व्यक्ति नहीं, एक सोच हैं - वह सोच जिसे कभी एक साम्राज्य ने, कभी एक नफ़रत की विचारधारा ने और कभी अहंकारी सत्ता ने मिटाने की असफल कोशिश की।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 30, 2026
मगर राष्ट्रपिता ने हमें आज़ादी के साथ यह मूलमंत्र दिया कि सत्ता की ताक़त से बड़ी सत्य की शक्ति होती है - और हिंसा व भय से… pic.twitter.com/Hm1frzS3jW
