Atrocity on dalit family by MLA Kumaraswamy: Allegation
Victim family appeals SP
Chikamagaluru, Feb 12: A family alleged that Mudigere BJP MLA M.P. Kumaraswamy has been harassing and threatening the family and conspired to snatch seven acres of land from them using his political power and influence.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Lokesh, family member and the victim, said that he was a resident of Kalmane village in Mudigere taluk. In survey number 49, his father Siddaiah was granted 5 acres of land on Form number 53, 57 in 1981-82 and his mother Janakamma was granted two acres of land and they were given cultivation deeds, mutations for the land.
After the death of his father, five acres of land was registered in his name and he has cultivated coffee plantation. But BJP leader Shivaraj Gowda has encroached the land on survey number 49 beside his land.
Recently, he sold that land to MLA M.P. Kumaraswamy who has been trying to snatch his land now for the last three years. Through his followers, he has been harassing and threatening him and his family, he said.
On last December 21, 2018, Kumaraswamy’s followers Shivaraj Gowda, Dharmapal, Girish Gowda, Ravindra Gowda, Shivanna Gowda, Annappa Hemmakki, Hesgal Girish, Turuve Mahesh, Hoskere Paramesh, Ranganath, Ravi, Sachin Gowda and Santosh along with around 200 members barged into his coffee plantation saying that it belongs to Kumaraswamy.
When he questioned their illegal entry into the coffee plantation, they threatened him and his family members of killing and abused with foul language. Fearing their atrocity, he and his family members came out of the plantation to give police complaint. At this time, the MLA’s followers have stolen around 60 bags of coffee beans from his plantation and transported them in 9 vehicles, he alleged.
Despite his complaint, the Baluru police did nothing. The police who summoned him to the police station, said that the land belonged to the MLA though there were no documents and thus failed to ensure justice to him yielding to political pressure.
Later, SP Harish had assured him of ensuring the justice. But till now, he was denied justice and the followers of the MLA have been harassing him continuously.
If the district administration failed to provide justice to his family, he along with his family members would sit in dharna in front of the Balur police station on February 18, he warned.
CPI leader Ravi, Mudigere taluk secretary Gopal Shetty, district leader Raghu, Kelaguru Ramesh, Saroja, wife of Lokesh and children were present at the press conference.
“People have elected Kumaraswamy to ensure justice to the depressed class in the constituency. But ever since he was elected as the MLA, he has been misusing his power. The government documents themselves were proving that the land belonged to Lokesh. But Kumaraswamy, with the help of his followers, has been conspiring to snatch the land of the poor yielding to the pressure of upper caste people. The CPI would support Lokesh and his family for sitting dharna in front of the police station. In order to spread awareness against the atrocity of the MLA to the district and supporting the dalit family, the CPI would conduct awareness meetings across the district”.
- Gopal Shetty, CPI Taluk Secretary
“We have brought bricks, sand and stone to build a house on the land belonging to us. But the follower of the MLA, Shivaraj Gowda has not allowed us to construct the house. When asked him, he threatened us to kill. We have records to prove that the land belongs to us. Based on these records, the bank has given us Rs 2 lakh loan. Let the MLA give the records to prove his ownership on the land. As the MLA followers have taken away the coffee, we have failed to repay the bank loan and finding it difficult to pay the school fee of the children. Balur police were yielded to the pressure of the MLA, we will not get justice from them. The Deputy Commissioner and the SP should visit the place and verify it and ensure justice to us”.
- Saroja, Wife of Lokesh
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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.
