Man sets Tehsildar's vehicle on fire in Chitradurga, detained by police
Chitradurga: A man in Karnataka's Chitradurga district set a tehsildar's vehicle on fire, allegedly in frustration over the police’s refusal to accept his mother’s complaint. The accused, identified as Prithviraj, poured petrol on the vehicle of the Challakere tehsildar outside his office and ignited the flames.
Quick action by the office staff prevented the fire from spreading, as they managed to extinguish the flames before significant damage occurred.
Prithviraj was immediately detained at the scene by the police, and a case was filed against him for damaging government property, vandalising the vehicle, and obstructing official duties. The staff of the tehsildar's office also submitted a petition to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), requesting protection while carrying out their official work.
ALSO READ: Bank robbery attempt in Hubballi: Accused arrested within hours
Sources revealed that Prithviraj, who works for a private company in Bengaluru, had gone missing during a trip in July. His mother, concerned about his disappearance, attempted to file a complaint at the Challakere police station on July 2, but her request was not accepted. Prithviraj eventually reappeared on July 23 and confronted the police about the matter.
In a related incident, on August 14, Prithviraj was also booked for setting fire to a motorbike near Vidhana Soudha.
A man in Karnataka's Chitradurga set a tehsildar's vehicle on fire, allegedly upset over the police's refusal to accept his mother's complaint.
— Karnataka Portfolio (@karnatakaportf) September 6, 2024
The man, Prithviraj, poured petrol on the vehicle of the Challakere tehsildar outside his office and set it on fire. However, the… pic.twitter.com/ED89sQN3hD
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Kerala polls: ‘People rejected 10 years of misrule’, says AICC gen secy
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal on Monday said the Congress-led UDF’s sweeping victory in the Kerala Assembly polls was a clear verdict against the “arrogance”, corruption, and nepotism of the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by CM Pinarayi Vijayan.
Addressing a press conference as counting of votes for all 140 Assembly constituencies neared completion, Venugopal said the outcome reflected public anger against what he termed “10 years of misrule” by the Left government.
He claimed that Vijayan’s victory in his home constituency, Dharmadam, was “only technical”, alleging that the CM trailed the UDF candidate in the initial rounds of counting and failed to secure a majority in his own village.
“He just escaped. He suffered a setback even in his home turf. He was the only person who did not realise the people’s mood in this election,” Venugopal said.
Alleging that the CPI(M) and the LDF had resorted to “communal and opportunistic politics”, he further claimed that the ruling front had entered into a “secret understanding” with the BJP in a bid to retain power for a third consecutive term.
He said that when a government driven by power and arrogance attempts to align with anyone to stay in office, even its own cadre turns against it.
Referring to the results, Venugopal said that while the UDF expected rebel CPI(M) leaders, including K Kunhikrishnan in Payyannur, to impact the vote share, their victories came as a surprise.
Describing the UDF’s performance as a “historic victory”, he attributed it to coordinated teamwork, grassroots mobilisation, and the dedication of party workers, adding that the alliance accepted the mandate “with humility”.
Venugopal also credited Rahul Gandhi’s campaign guarantees, calling them a “trump card” that helped voters focus on real issues and reject what he described as the LDF’s “false narratives”.
He claimed that the Congress witnessed one of its lowest levels of rebellion in this election, which contributed to the alliance’s strong performance.
The senior Congress leader further alleged that the BJP managed to win two seats with the help of the CPI(M), and asserted that forces attempting to divide society on communal lines should “learn a lesson” from Kerala’s verdict.
“This is the real Kerala story,” he said.
On the question of the next Chief Minister, Venugopal said the party leadership would decide at the earliest after due consultations.
The counting of votes began on Monday morning for all 140 Assembly constituencies in Kerala, where the Congress-led UDF secured a decisive majority, defeating the CPI(M)-led LDF, which was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) posts, "Thank you to my brothers and sisters in Keralam for a truly decisive mandate. Congratulations to every UDF leader and worker for a hard-fought, well-run campaign. As I said before, Keralam has the talent, Keralam has the potential… pic.twitter.com/6T4IZbEmp4
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 4, 2026
