Karnataka chief secretary requests her Andhra counterpart to withdraw entry ban on Totapuri mangoes
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Tuesday requested her Andhra Pradesh counterpart to withdraw ban on entry of Totapuri mangoes from the state into Andhra's Chittoor district.
According to her, this "abrupt and unilateral restriction" has caused significant distress to mango farmers in Karnataka, particularly those in the border districts who cultivate large volumes of Totapuri mangoes and rely heavily on the Chittoor-based processing units for marketing their produce.
In a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K Vijayanand, she expressed "serious concern" regarding the order issued by the District Collector of Chittoor on June 7, which imposed a ban on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from other States.
"To enforce this order, multidisciplinary teams comprising officials from the Revenue, Police, Forest, and Marketing Departments have reportedly been deployed at all border check-posts adjoining Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," Rajneesh said in the letter.
She said that disruption of this long-established inter-state trade linkage poses "immediate threats to their livelihoods" and may result in "substantial post-harvest losses".
The letter stated that beyond the economic hardship to farmers, such a move undermines the spirit of cooperative federalism and risks triggering retaliatory sentiments.
"There is already apprehension that affected stakeholders in Karnataka may obstruct vegetable inflows from Andhra Pradesh, escalating into unnecessary inter-state tensions something we must all strive to avoid," it said.
Urging for his immediate intervention in this matter, she requested him to issue appropriate direction to the authorities in Chittoor district to revoke the said order.
"A coordinated and consultative approach would be more appropriate for addressing any concerns related to agricultural trade and phytosanitary risks, if any, while safeguarding the interests of farmers on both sides," she added.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
