Udupi: The Udupi District Sessions Court on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to the accused in a Dalit girl rape case that took place three years back in the limits of Karkala rural police station.

The accused Pradeep Pujari (30), a resident of Kairabettu in Kalya taluk, had raped an 18-year-old Dalit girl on September 10, 2014.

The next day, Karkala police had arrested Pradeep under article 376, 323, 506 and IPC sections 3(1), (12).

Another attempt of sexual assault on the same day

The accused Pradeep Pujari had made a rape attempt on another girl on the same day. In this regard, a case was registered against him under POSCO act. Only after a few minutes of raping the Dalit girl, Pradeep Pujari caught hold a 17-year-old girl, returning from school, and allegedly proposed her. When she refused, Pradeep slapped her. Anyhow the girl escaped.

In this regard, a case was registered at Karkala rural police station, and now it is in court.

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Udupi: Udupi City Police have arrested two persons, including a woman, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of property tax funds belonging to the Udupi Municipal Council.

The accused have been identified as Shalini, who was working as a tax consultant outside the municipal office, and Ganesh, a bank employee.

According to police, Anand Suvarna had paid Rs 34,730 towards 12 years of property tax for his building in Kalmadi to Shalini on October 16, 2025. She reportedly issued him a receipt acknowledging the payment.

However, when Suvarna recently checked the status of the payment on the property tax portal, he found that the amount had not been credited and was still shown as pending. He then brought the matter to the notice of the Municipal Commissioner, who verified that the payment had not been recorded.

During questioning, Shalini allegedly admitted to the lapse. On February 16, 2026, she generated a new challan in Suvarna’s name and paid Rs 35,213 towards the dues.

Police said a case has been registered at the Udupi City Police Station against the accused for allegedly misappropriating tax money and defrauding the government by affixing the seal of Union Bank on the challan without remitting the amount initially received from the taxpayer.

Further investigation is under way.