Heavy police deployment continues in Maddur amid BJP bandh call
Mandya (PTI): Heavy police deployment continued in Maddur town on Tuesday, even as the situation remained peaceful in the wake of a bandh call given by the BJP following communal clashes during a Ganesha immersion procession on Sunday.
BJP Mandya district president Indresh N S has given the call and the saffron party's ally JD(S) also supports this bandh call.
Around 800 personnel, including four Superintendents of Police, Additional SPs, and Karnataka State Reserve Police forces, have been deployed as a precautionary measure, Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi told PTI.
"The situation is under control and peaceful. Prohibitory orders are in place till tomorrow morning. Adequate forces have been deployed, and liquor sales have been prohibited," he said.
Police said two FIRs have been registered in connection with clashes that broke out on Sunday when stones were thrown at the Ganesha idol procession in Ram Rahim Nagar.
While police booked a case on their own, they registered another based on a complaint lodged by an injured person.
So far, 22 people have been arrested in connection with the Sunday incident.
According to SP, strict vigilance has been maintained regarding miscreants trying to use the situation to instigate any untoward incident. Deployment has been increased in all areas, and especially at sensitive points.
"Regarding the stone pelting incident, we have prepared a list of 26 people involved, among them, 22 people have been arrested and four are yet to be arrested. All of them are in judicial custody. We are thinking about taking them into police custody for inquiry regarding those behind the incident and to see if there was instigation from someone," he said.
Further investigations are on regarding whether it was pre-planned, he said.
"We are analysing several CCTV footage and videos to check the movement of people," he said.
Asked whether the accused are associated with any organisation, the SP said, "We are yet to get more information on it."
Teams are verifying the CCTVs about the allegations that rods were shown as a sign of threat during the procession, he added.
According to police, the stone-pelting, which began about 500 metres from a mosque, led to retaliation from members of the procession.
Police resorted to a mild lathi charge to disperse two clashing groups. Hindu activists later staged protests, raising Jai Sri Ram slogans, burning tyres, and waving saffron flags.
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Railways: FM Sitharaman allocates Rs 2.77 lakh crore for capital expenditure
New Delhi (PTI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday allocated Rs 2,77,830 crore to the Ministry of Railways for capital expenditure in the financial year 2026–27.
The Budget allocation includes the construction of new lines and the purchase of locomotives, wagons, and coaches, among other works.
The ministry had received Rs 2,52,000 crore in FY 2025–26. The current allocation for the upcoming financial year is 10.25 per cent higher, making it the highest ever. Besides, the ministry will get Rs 15,000 crore from Extra Budgetary Resources, the document showed.
According to the Budget document, the railways’ total earnings are projected at Rs 3,85,733.33 crore, while expenditure is estimated at Rs 3,82,186.01 crore, resulting in a surplus of Rs 3,547.32 crore at the end of the financial year.
"Since the railways' earnings are too meagre to fund asset creation and support new works, it receives funds from the government. Accordingly, the ministry has been allocated Rs 2,77,830 crore to undertake activities such as laying new lines, converting narrow gauge to broad gauge, and constructing double lines on single-line routes," a railway official said.
The Budget document has earmarked funds from the Rs 2,77,830 crore allocation for various construction and asset creation projects. These include Rs 36,721.55 crore for new lines, Rs 4,600 crore for gauge conversion, Rs 37,750 crore for doubling, Rs 52,108.73 crore for rolling stock (locomotives, wagons, etc.), and Rs 7,500 crore for signalling and telecom, among others.
The allocation under the signalling and telecom head is significant as the automatic train protection system, Kavach, falls under this department. The ministry has laid strong emphasis on expanding Kavach coverage across the rail network.
The document also presents the actual earnings and expenditure of the railways in 2024–25. During the year, railways earned Rs 3,35,757.09 crore and spent Rs 3,32,440.64 crore, recording a surplus of Rs 3,316.45 crore. The budgetary allocation for the year stood at Rs 2,51,946.56 crore.
"As far as FY 2025–26 is concerned, the actual figures for earnings and expenditure will be available only after the financial year ends,” an official said, adding that largely earnings and expenses are on expected lines with minor changes.
Out of the total expenditures of the railways, the biggest share goes on paying pensions to its employees.
According to Budget documents, expenditure on pensions was Rs 58844.07 crore in 2024-25, which is expected to rise to Rs 74500 crore in 2026-27.
