Bengaluru: A taxi driver’s act of honesty has gone viral after he traveled from Mysuru to Bengaluru to return a lost phone to its owner, earning praise online.

The incident was shared on social media by a Reddit user identified as ‘coldAbhishek,’ who recounted how he had accidentally left his mobile phone in an offline cab late at night in Bengaluru’s Hebbal. With his phone’s battery nearly dead, Abhishek had flagged down a roadside cab, and the driver agreed to drop him off at his destination without charging him any fare.

After reaching home, he realized his phone was missing. Since the ride was not booked through an app, there was no way to trace the vehicle or the driver. Repeated attempts to call his phone failed as the battery had already drained.

Fifteen hours later, Abhishek received an unexpected notification that his phone had been turned on. The driver had not only found the device but had also charged it before switching it on, allowing Abhishek to activate ‘Lost Mode’ and display his contact details.

When he finally managed to contact the driver, he learned that the man had already traveled to Mysuru for another trip but assured him that he would return the phone the next day. Staying true to his word, the driver took a bus back to Bengaluru the following morning and personally returned the device.

Moved by his honesty, Abhishek offered the driver ₹1,000 as a token of appreciation, though the cabbie was reluctant to accept it.

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Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Members of the Opposition BJP on Tuesday slammed the Karnataka government for not taking measures to prevent the alleged noise pollution caused by 'azaan', the Islamic call to prayer.

BJP MLC D S Arun raised the issue in the Legislative Council during the question hour, accusing the ruling Congress of "appeasement" by failing to take action against mosques that are violating the Supreme Court's directives.

Karnataka Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre, responding to the question, said, as per the directives of the Supreme Court in sensitive zones, the noise level should not exceed 50 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night, and in residential areas, 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night.

In commercial areas, the noise should not exceed 65 decibels during the day, 55 at night, and in industrial areas, 75 during the day and at night 70 decibels, he said.

Pointing out that the Karnataka government had issued an order in 2022, assigning responsibility to a committee headed by a DySPs or ACPs for the effective implementation of the rules, the minister said when a complaint is received about noise pollution, the Pollution Control Board will inspect it and provide information about the decibel level to the police to take further action, including filing of criminal cases.

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"Not only during azaan, but also during bhajans held in temples and marriage events, among others, the violations happen. There is a need to spread awareness. The Supreme Court has ordered against bursting firecrackers, but it is being violated. Efforts will be made to implement the rules effectively," he said.

Several BJP MLAs, including Arun, Bharathi Shetty, among others, were not satisfied with the minister's reply. They took strong exception to it.

Arun noted that in the last three years, only 52 cases have been taken, and said there are clear violations by almost all mosques, but no action has been taken. "The decibels have in fact increased under this government. The government is giving protection to them."

Reacting to this, Khandre, calling it a "sensitive matter", said, "It is not right to politicise the issue. The law of this land is equal for everyone."

Hitting back, Arun asked, "Why is the matter sensitive? What is preventing you (the government) from implementing the Supreme Court directives?"