86 taluks of 23 districts in the state declared drought-hit
Bengaluru: the state government has declared 86 taluks of 23 districts in the state as drought-hit.
In a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee chaired by the revenue minister, the decision has been taken to declare 86 taluks of Chikmagalur, Hassan, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagar, Kolar, Chikballapur, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Davangere, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Bellary, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Yadgiri, Bidar, Belgavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapur, Gadag, Haveri and Dharwad districts. The meeting of the committee was held on September 11.
The government has instructed the concerned deputy commissioners to conduct a joint survey of the drought-hit districts and submit a report.
As per the Indian Metrological Department data, the cumulative seasonal rainfall across the southern state was minus two percent, with coastal areas receiving three percent above average and south interior region seven percent excess rain, while north interior areas recorded 26 percent deficit.
According to officials, the deficit caused the crop loss of about Rs. 8000 crore, as sowing was done in 63 lakh hectares of farmlands out of 75 lakh hectares across the state.
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Bank manager shot dead in fit of rage by security manager upset by salary, denied leave
Lucknow (PTI): A security guard of a Ghaziabad bank upset over leave and salary related issues walked into the manager's cabin and shot him dead, police said on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old manager of the Loni branch of the Punjab and Sind Bank was rushed to a hospital on Monday where he was declared dead, they said.
The security guard, Ravindra Hooda (50) and his accomplice, Shishupal (57), have been arrested, police said.
"The security guard along with his accomplice entered the cabin of the bank manager and fired at him. The injured bank manager was taken to GTB Hospital in Delhi for treatment, where doctors declared him as dead," police said in a statement.
SHO Loni Border Manish Bist on Tuesday said the bank manager, Abhishek Kumar, was from Patna. He has been posted in Ghaziabad since August 2025, and was living in a rented house with his wife.
Police said that during interrogation, Hooda said he had been working in the branch for the past two and a half months.
"He said his salary was reduced, and when he would ask for leave, it was refused. Following this, there was an argument with him (Abhishek Kumar)," the police statement said.
He said he fired at the bank manager in anger and that Shishupal was present with him during the incident, it added. Hooda and Shishupal were from the same village in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.
Police said a case under section 103 (1) (punishment for murder) of the BNS has been registered against him. Police have recovered a double-barrel gun and ammunition and the Arms Act has also been slapped on the accused, the statement said.
