Chinese GPS tracker found on seagull near Karwar Coast
Karwar (Karnataka) (PTI) Security agencies and forest officials have initiated an inquiry after a Chinese-made GPS tracking device was found attached to a seagull near the coastal belt of Karwar in Uttara Kannada district on Wednesday close to a sensitive naval zone.
Officials, however, said that preliminary findings point to scientific research rather than espionage.
Confirming the discovery, Police of Karwar Town said the incident came to light when local residents noticed an unusually tagged seagull resting behind the Thimmakka Garden area near the beach. Finding the device suspicious, they alerted the Marine Wing of the Forest Department.
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Forest officials who reached the spot safely captured the bird and examined the device.
The GPS tracker bore markings linked to the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, indicating its use for academic and ecological studies.
"The tracker appears to have been fitted to study the movement, feeding patterns and migration routes of seagulls. At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest any espionage activity," the police said, adding that authorities are nevertheless exercising caution given the strategic importance of the coastal region.
The bird has been shifted to the Marine Forest Division office for observation. Officials are attempting to formally contact the concerned research institution to ascertain details of the study, including the origin, timeline and scope of the tracking programme.
This is not the first such incident in the region. In November last year, a war eagle fitted with a tracking device was spotted within the limits of Baithkol port in Karwar. That case too was later linked to wildlife research.
However, given the proximity of the INS Kadamba naval base, one of Indian Navy's most strategic installations, the discovery has once again raised concerns about the possibility of sensitive data exposure under the guise of research.
"While wildlife tracking using GPS devices is a globally accepted scientific practice, the location where the bird was found makes it imperative for multiple agencies to verify all aspects," the police said.
Officials emphasised that further action will depend on responses received from the research body and technical analysis of the device's data transmission capabilities.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
