BJP-Backed Gram Panchayat member arrested for illegal liquor sale in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: Jayananda Kulal, a member of the Ganjimutt Gram Panchayat supported by the BJP, was arrested by Bajpe Police on Wednesday for the alleged illegal sale of liquor at a roadside shop in Mogaru village.
Jayananda Kulal, known for his active involvement in the Sangh Parivar, is reported to have close ties with Mangalore North MLA Dr. Y Bharat Shetty, as suggested by local Congress activists who shared a photo of the two on social media.
The arrest was made following charges of unlawfully selling liquor at a makeshift kiosk in Thekkemar, Mogaru village. Bajpe Police, on their routine patrol on Wednesday evening, observed customers fleeing from the kiosk upon noticing the police vehicle. This suspicious activity prompted the police to investigate further.
Upon inspection of the kiosk, the police discovered 18 tetra packs containing up to 90 ml of liquor from various brands. Jayananda Kulal, the proprietor of the kiosk, was taken into custody. The FIR filed against him alleges that he procured liquor from a nearby shop in Thekkemar and sold it at an inflated price in his kiosk.
Despite the incident occurring on December 27, Bajpe Police refrained from informing the media about the case, leading to criticism on social media. Concerns were raised regarding the absence of information on the police blog, where details of recent cases are typically uploaded. Users also noted the contrasting handling of a recent cattle transport case, which was made available on the police blog.
In response to allegations of discrimination, Bajpe Station Inspector Sandeep clarified that there was no bias in their actions. He explained that if a case is related to the Excise Department, a police officer might refuse information, and in such instances, it is advisable for the media to contact senior officers for details.
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Heatwave scorches Odisha, Jharsuguda reels under 43.6 degrees C
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Heatwave conditions scorched Odisha on Tuesday, with the IMD forecasting that hot and humid conditions would continue in parts of the state.
The IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre said Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Gajapati districts were likely to experience hot and humid conditions on April 22.
It also predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds in parts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput, among others.
On Tuesday, 18 places across Odisha recorded maximum temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius or above. The industrial town of Jharsuguda was the hottest in the state at 43.6 degrees Celsius.
Sambalpur and Titlagarh recorded 42.5 degrees Celsius each, followed by Hirakud at 42.4 degrees, Bolangir at 42.2 degrees and Angul at 42.1 degrees.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 37.9 degrees Celsius and 38.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, with relative humidity levels remaining above 70 per cent.
Meanwhile, the state government directed all district education officers to conduct a Summer Learning Programme for students till class 8 in government schools during the summer vacation.
Officials said students would be given practice assignments along with audio-visual learning content.
Subject-wise assignment sheets have been prepared, while related digital material will be shared through school parents' WhatsApp groups using a chatbot system, they said.
