13-year-old Bengaluru rookie rider dies in accident during motorcycle championship in Chennai
Chennai (PTI): Copparam Shreyas Hareesh, a 13-year-old prodigy from Bengaluru, succumbed to injuries that he had suffered following a crash in the third round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship at the Madras International Circuit, here on Saturday.
Following the tragic incident, promoter of the event, Madras Motor Sports Club, cancelled the remaining races scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
Born on July 26, 2010, Shreyas, a student of Kensri School in Bengaluru, was being hailed as a rising star, as he had won several races at the National level, including four in a row, competing in the rookie category of the Petronas TVS One-Make Championship this season.
The incident occurred soon after the start of the rookie race for which he had qualified for pole position this morning. Exiting Turn-1, Shreyas fell following a crash and suffered grievous head injury.
The race was red-flagged immediately and he was rushed to a nearby hospital in a trauma care ambulance stationed at the track.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. His father, Copparam Hareesh was at his bedside.
"It is tragic to have lost a rider so young and talented. Shreyas, who was making waves with his prodigious racing talent, was provided medical assistance on the spot immediately after the incident and taken to the hospital," MMSC president Ajit Thomas said.
"Under the circumstances, we have decided to cancel rest of this weekend's programme. The MMSC offers heart-felt condolences and our thoughts are with his family."
In May this year, Shreyas, having won the MiniGP India title, had participated in the MiniGP races in Spain, finishing both races in fifth and fourth positions respectively.
He was scheduled to compete in the MSBK Championship 2023 at Sepang Circuit, Malaysia, in August, representing team CRA Motorsports in the 250cc category (Group B).
It is the second fatality in Indian motorsport this year. In January, KE Kumar, 59, a noted and respected racer, died in hospital following a crash in the second round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Car Racing Championship 2022 at the Madras International Circuit.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
ALSO READ: BJP accuses Karnataka govt of 'failing' to prevent noise pollution caused by 'azaan'
He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
