Landslide at Agumbe Ghat: Vehicular movement banned
Hebri, June 28: 7th turn of Agumbe ghat road suffered landslide due to heavy downpour. The administration has banned movement of heavy vehicles.
On receiving the information, Hebri police and officers of public works department visited the spot and inspected.
There is a danger of further landslide in the region. Hebri police station officer Mahabala Shetty and team took steps for the smooth vehicular movement.
The ghat section is receiving heavy rain since two days and that has caused the landslide. Locals said that there is no proper system for the rain water to flow making it flow on the road. This is the reason landslide takes place in this region.
Sandbags has been placed on the place where landslide took place as a temporary measure. Police have placed barricades to stop vehicles plying on this road.
Assistant executive engineer of National highway and Thirthahalli tahsildar visited the spot and inspected.
Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar has instructed the public work department officials to arrange for the smooth vehicular movement.
Bus service stalled:
Following the landslide at 7th curve of Agumbe ghat, Udupi district commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis has ordered to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles on this road. Only light vehicles including Ambulance can ply through ghat section.
She has also instructed the related officials take precautionary steps and has asked the national highway authority to repair the road immediately.
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Surjewala slams Pratap Simha’s ‘vile’ remarks on CM Siddaramaiah, demands apology from BJP
Bengaluru (PTI): Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Saturday launched a sharp attack on the BJP over alleged disparaging remarks made by former Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during an assembly bypoll campaign in Bagalkote.
Simha made the remarks while campaigning for BJP candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, triggering a political row ahead of the by-elections scheduled for April 9.
Congress has fielded Umesh Meti, son of former MLA late M Y Meti, whose death necessitated the bye-election.
"Pratap Simha's vile remarks about Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bagalkot have exposed the BJP's despicable politics once again," Surjewala said in a social media post.
Alleging a larger political design, he added, "It is increasingly evident that Pratap Simha’s outburst is driven by desperation," and accused the BJP of using such remarks to target backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and minorities.
The Rajya Sabha member further claimed that the incident reflects a pattern within the party. "This is not one man's madness—it is the BJP’s political culture," he said, adding that the remarks were aimed at "denigrating leaders from marginalised communities".
Referring to past incidents, Surjewala said, "CM Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar have received death threats in the past, including one from BJP leaders who warned that their bodies would be stuffed into a refrigerator."
The Congress leader also criticised the BJP’s bypoll campaign strategy, alleging "internal contradictions".
He pointed to the party’s use of expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal in campaigning despite earlier disciplinary action against him, accusing the BJP of resorting to "abuses and indignities" against opposition leaders.
Surjewala demanded immediate action from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, state president B Y Vijayendra, and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka.
He said they must tender a public apology to Kannadigas, particularly to OBCs, SCs, and minorities, over the remarks, and urged the party to expel Simha if it does not repudiate his statements.
Surjewala also called for legal action, demanding that an FIR be registered against Simha and that strict measures be taken.
Warning of "political consequences", he said the electorate in the bypoll-bound constituencies would respond decisively if the BJP failed to apologise, asserting that voters would "teach the BJP a befitting lesson" in the elections.
There has been no immediate reaction from the saffron party yet.
