Arrested Cong MLA JN Ganesh sent to Parappana Agrahara jail
Bengaluru, Feb 21: Congress MLA J N Ganesh was Thursday flown here from Gujarat, a day after being arrested for allegedly assaulting another lawmaker from his party.
He was produced before the Ramanagara district court, which remanded him to judicial custody for 14 days.
The Kampli MLA from Ballari district has been lodged in the Parappana Agrahara jail.
Ganesh was arrested near a restaurant in Somnath, weeks after he was declared absconding for allegedly thrashing Anand Singh during a brawl at a resort on city outskirts during the recent political turmoil in the state.
The police recorded his "voluntary" statement and took him to a hospital for medical check-up, Ramanagara Superintendent of police Ramesh Bhanot told reporters.
According to the complaint filed with the police, Ganesh had allegedly attacked Singh on January 20 at the Bidadi resort with his fists and a flowerpot, hit him near his eye and kicked him on his chest.
The incident had happened when Congress MLAs were camping at the resort to thwart an alleged bid by the BJP to poach them, in its attempt to topple the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government in the state.
In his complaint, Singh alleged that Ganesh was upset as he suspected that he wanted to finish him off politically and did not support him financially during the Karnataka Assembly polls last year.
A seriously injured Singh was admitted to a private hospital in the city.
Based on a complaint, the police had registered a case of attempt to murder against Ganesh.
Fearing arrest, the Congress MLA did not appear for the crucial budget session of the state legislature, despite a whip.
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.
Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
