Bengaluru: Octogenarian dies in house fire
Bengaluru (PTI): An 80-year-old man was charred to death after a fire broke out at his residence in Mylasandra in the early hours of Thursday, police said.
The deceased, identified as Mailarappa, lived alone in a house near Thimmarayappa Circle, they added.
According to police, Mailarappa’s granddaughter Ramya told investigators that he lived alone in a house adjacent to their residence.
He had developed gangrene in his left leg and had undergone amputation, which left him unable to move around.
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Ramya used to take care of his daily needs and provide him with food.
According to the police statement, on the evening of February 18, Ramya visited to deliver dinner. He mentioned feeling unwell and requested medication, which she provided. Her elder brother was present at the time. She then returned home.
At around 2.20 am, a distant relative raised an alarm that Mailarappa’s house was on fire. Family members and neighbours rushed to the scene, extinguished the flames, and removed the roof sheets, a senior police officer said.
Ramya’s husband later entered the house and found that her grandfather had died from burn injuries, the officer added.
“A case of unnatural death has been registered, and we are investigating the cause of the fire,” the officer said, adding, “We are also examining whether there was any foul play.”
The body will be handed over to the family after a postmortem examination determines the exact cause of death, police said.
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Min. Priyank Kharge to expresses concern over implementation of VB-G Ram G
Bengaluru: Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the proposed VB-G Ram G scheme, stating that the MNREGA programme, which has been a lifeline for rural India for nearly two decades, appears to be facing an uncertain future.
Speaking to media, Kharge said that as March 31 draws to a close, there is no clarity on the rollout of the new scheme from April 1. He pointed out that the central government has not yet issued the necessary guidelines for implementing the scheme for rural workers and villages.
He criticised the Centre for its lack of preparedness, stating that there is no clarity on fund allocation, no final parameters for classifying gram panchayats, and key processes such as social audits have not been defined.
Kharge said the situation comes at a critical time, as summer marks a peak period for rural employment demand, when many people depend heavily on wage employment for their livelihood.
He added that reports have emerged of delays in approvals and families not receiving work despite demand.
He further alleged that the Centre’s move to shift from a statutory employment guarantee to a rule-based allocation system is already showing negative consequences.
Kharge also raised concerns over provisions such as a mandatory 60-day halt during agricultural seasons, which he said would further limit employment opportunities for rural workers.
The BJP-led central government had claimed that the new scheme would transform rural India, but in reality it is turning out to be detrimental to people’s livelihoods, he said.
“The crisis in rural India due to the stalling of MNREGA is beginning to unfold. Given the Centre’s past record in handling such situations, there is growing concern over the impact on rural livelihoods,” Kharge said.
