Amid West Asia tensions, CM Siddaramaiah directs mandatory inspections to curb fertiliser hoarding
Bengaluru: Amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday directed officials to make fertiliser inspections mandatory at all check posts across the state to prevent shortages and hoarding.
Chairing a high-level meeting at Vidhana Soudha with district in-charge ministers, secretaries, deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat chief executive officers, the Chief Minister said there is a possibility of disruption in fertiliser supply due to the situation in the Middle East.
He instructed district authorities to ensure timely availability of fertilisers to farmers and warned traders against bulk purchasing and hoarding. He also directed that proper distribution of key fertilisers, including urea and DAP, be ensured.
The Chief Minister further called for strict monitoring of fertiliser movement and directed officials to curb transportation of fertilisers to other states. He emphasised the need to tighten inspections at check posts for effective implementation.
Noting that fertiliser sales have already increased in some districts, including Haveri, compared to last year, Siddaramaiah sought an explanation and directed continuous monitoring to prevent artificial shortages and ensure supply reaches eligible farmers.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
