Mangaluru: PM Modi attends BJP core committee meet, gathers info on govt schemes, party
Mangaluru, Sep 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was here to take part in an official programme on Friday attended the Karnataka BJP's core committee meeting, and gathered information on the implementation of central schemes and organisational activities of the party in the poll-bound State.
The Prime Minister, attending the core committee meeting, gains significance particularly with the Assembly polls to be held sometime in March-April next year. The party is confident of being back in power in 2023 by winning at least 150 of the total 224 seats.
BJP's Karnataka unit vice-president Nirmal Kumar Surana, in a statement, said Modi attended the meeting on the request of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the State president of the party Nalin Kumar Kateel.
The Prime Minister, at the meeting, learned about the organisational activities of the party and administrative matters related to the State government. He got the information from Bommai, Kateel and others, and made suggestions, Surana said.
According to sources, Modi is said to have asked the Bommai and those in the government to see to it that the welfare schemes of the central and the State governments reached the people, and party leaders to ensure that the workers are motivated and do not feel neglected.
During the meeting, discussions are also said to have taken place regarding the preparation for Assembly poll, with leaders in the State asking Modi to visit the State frequently in the run-up to the election.
Modi was in this coastal city this afternoon to inaugurate and lay the foundation for mechanisation and industrialisation projects worth around Rs 3,800 crore, and addressed a mega event.
The visit to Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district was significant after the recent murders including that of BJP activist Praveen Nettar near here, triggering protests and resignations by some of its Yuva Morcha members and workers across Karnataka, accusing the State government of not standing up to protect the lives of Hindu 'karyakartas'.
Several Hindutva ideologues and organisations, too, have expressed angst against the government on this.
Modi's visit has come at a time when the ruling BJP government in the State was facing corruption charges of "40 per cent commission" in public works by the State contractors' association, and also allegations of irregularities in several departments by certain organisations and Opposition parties, especially the Congress.
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Bengaluru: Woman falls prey to 'digital arrest' scam, losses over Rs 2.05 cr
Bengaluru (PTI): A 57-year-old woman fell prey to an alleged "digital arrest" scam and lost over Rs 2.05 crore to cybercriminals, who posed as law enforcement officials, police said on Tuesday.
'Digital arrest' is a form of cyber fraud where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers and threaten people through audio or video calls, forcing them to transfer money online.
The woman was also coerced into selling multiple properties and taking bank loans to meet the fraudsters' demands, they said.
The offence is said to have occurred between June 19 and November 27, police said.
According to the complaint, on June 19, 2025, he received a call from an unidentified number claiming to be from Blue Dart courier company, informing her that a baggage allegedly linked to her Aadhaar card contained drugs and that Mumbai Police would arrest her.
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The caller then instructed her to install an app and began video calling her regularly. In the first week, they continuously monitored her through video and WhatsApp calls, the FIR stated.
It further stated that the accused allegedly appeared on video calls wearing police uniforms and claimed to be officers of the rank of inspector and deputy commissioner of police.
Police said the accused used to contact the complainant through multiple unknown mobile numbers and demanded money, threatening that her son's life would be in danger if payments were not made.
Fearing arrest and harm to her family, the complainant sold two plots in Malur at a low price, disposed of an apartment in Vignan Nagar, and also availed a loan from a private bank to arrange the money, which was transferred to the accused, the FIR said.
From June 20, she had transferred Rs 2,05,16,652, the FIR stated.
The fraud came to light when the accused allegedly asked the complainant to visit a police station to obtain a 'no-objection certificate' and promised that the entire amount would be returned, following which the victim realised that she had fallen prey to a digital arrest scam.
Based on her complaint, a case was registered at Whitefield CEN crime police station on November 27 under Sections 319 (2) (Cheating by personation) and 318 (4) (Cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, police said, adding that further investigation is under way.
