Udupi, September 20: District Building and Construction Workers Association (CITU) secretary Balakrishna Shetty warned of calling for Udupi Bandh if the sand problem was not solved immediately.

Addressing the construction workers who staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office here on Thursday against the scarcity of the sand in the district, Shetty said that the district administration has not taken any steps to lift sand from the sand blocks. If the district administration thought about the legal problem, the labourers would not get their livelihood. They could not lead their life without sand. They were not asking luxurious life. But they want minimum requirement for their livelihood, he said.

They submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari. Association President Shekar Bangera, Honorary President Dayanand Kotian, Leaders Suresh Kallagar, Kaviraj, K. Shankar, Ganesh Nayak, Rama Karkada and others were present. Before the protest, the agitators took out a protest march from Manipal Tiger Circle to DC office.

Demands

  •       The district administration should take steps to provide one unit sand at Rs 2,000.
  •       Country-made boats should be allowed to lift sand.
  •       Vacant posts in the Labour department should be filled immediately.
  •       Pension should be increased to Rs 3,000.
  •       Housing loan and subsidy should be given for construction workers to construct houses and purchase sites.
  •       PF should be implemented as announced in the 2017 budget.
  •       All construction labourers should be given ESI facility.



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Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.

The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.

Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.

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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.

On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.

Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.