Bidar (PTI): The Karnataka government said it has relieved an assistant cook at a hostel run by the Backward Classes Welfare department in Basavakalyana after he allegedly participated in route march organised by the RSS.

The action follows a complaint received by the District Backward Classes Welfare Officer via WhatsApp on October 20 regarding Pramod Kumar's participation in the march.

The Basavakalyana Taluk Backward Classes Welfare Officer wrote to the office of the Secretary/Chief Administrative Officer of the Bidar District Labour Services Multipurpose Cooperative Society, communicating that Kumar be relieved from duty.

"Pramod Kumar is working as an assistant cook at Pre-Matric Boys Hostel, Basavakalyana, through external resources. Permanent/external resources staff who are getting a salary from the government are prohibited from participating in any organisations as per the law," the letter said.

"Pramod Kumar has been released from duty on October 21 morning, to the office of the Secretary/Chief Administrative Officer, Bidar District Labour Services Multipurpose Cooperative Society," it added.

Last week, the government had suspended Panchayat Development Officer Praveen Kumar K P for attending the RSS centenary celebration at Lingsugur in Raichur.

The action came after Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge, in a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urged disciplinary action against government employees with links to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

The minister had cited the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, which bar government employees from holding membership in or attending events of organisations with political affiliations.

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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.