Karnataka: Death threats to Nijagunananda Swami, people demand arrest of accused
Belagavi: Issue of death threat to Nijagunananda Swami of Mundargi on social media has led to a protest by the people on Wednesday, demanding arrest of the guilty.
Members of the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha and the Rashtriya Basava Samiti protested outside the Deputy Commissioner's office in the city on Wednesday, demanding the arrest of people who threatened the rationalist seer.
“The seer has been spreading awareness among the people through the Vachana philosophy, which has led to a series of death threats issued to him. The seer received a threat in February this year too, while the recent threat has been posted on Facebook. The guilty should be arrested before the seer faces any danger,” Shankar Goodas, district president of the Rashtriya Basava Samithi, has demanded.
“There has been continuous threat that the Nijagunananda Swami and other rationalists will be killed in a manner similar to the assassination of M M Kalburgi. Complaints have been filed with the police officials to arrest the people who have been threatening the seer, but no measures have been taken so far,” he said.
Amit Jain, an accused, has openly threatened on the social media to kill Nijagunananda Swami, said Goodas, adding, “The police should immediately arrest Jain and investigate the matter to find the other people behind the threat.”
He warned that the Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha and the Rashtriya Basava Samiti will initiate a nationwide protest if the officials fail to act against the guilty at the earliest.
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Rain wreaks havoc in Bengaluru, kills 10
Bengaluru (PTI):The rains in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening wreaked havoc, killing 10 people, authorities said.
Heavy rains coupled with a hailstorm and gusty winds uprooted trees, flooded many key stretches and threw traffic out of gear, they said on Thursday.
Large parts of the city witnessed sudden, intense rainfall for nearly an hour, bringing down trees and electric poles, crushing parked vehicles and inundating low-lying areas, while several roads were rendered impassable, severely disrupting vehicular movement during peak hours.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed when a compound wall of the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital collapsed amid the downpour.
Among the deceased, two were from Kerala who were on a study tour. They had taken shelter near the wall when it gave way, they said.
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In another incident, a 35-year-old man, identified as Raghu, died of electrocution on Bannerghatta Road near Vega City Mall.
In a separate case in Yarab Nagar, a student, Syed Sufiyan died after coming into contact with a live electric wire while attempting to park his motorcycle during the rain, police said.
One more fatality was reported from Chamarajapet, where Manjunath died on the spot after a cement block fell and pierced through the roof of a house during the storm.
The sudden spell of rain left a trail of destruction across the city.
“So far, 10 people have died due to rain-related incidents in Bengaluru,” police said, attributing the deaths to wall collapse, electrocution and structural damage triggered by the storm.
Civic authorities said at least 87 trees were uprooted and 131 branches snapped across the city, disrupting daily life.
Of these, 60 trees and 98 branches had been cleared, while restoration work was ongoing.
Several cars and two-wheelers parked along roadsides were crushed under fallen trees.
Key junctions and underpasses were waterlogged, with the KR Circle underpass completely submerged, forcing police to barricade the stretch due to lack of drainage.
Fallen branches and stalled vehicles further worsened traffic congestion, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Officials said buildings suffered partial damage in several areas, while the sudden and unanticipated nature of the storm caught many residents off guard. Authorities have issued a rain alert for the next three days.
