CM Siddaramaiah announces compensation for kin of sub-inspectors killed in accident
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday announced compensation for the families of three police personnel killed in a road accident in Chitradurga district, terming the incident “extremely tragic”.
The Chief Minister said an ex gratia of Rs five lakh each would be provided to the families of the deceased Reserve Sub-Inspectors, while Rs two lakh each would be given to those injured in the accident.
“An amount of Rs 5 lakh each will be provided as compensation to the families of the three Reserve Sub Inspectors who lost their lives in the horrific accident that occurred near Heggere Gate in Challakere taluk of Chitradurga district on Sunday, and Rs 2 lakh each to those injured. This is an extremely tragic incident. I pray that the departed souls find peace and that their families find the strength to bear this sorrow,” Siddaramaiah said in a post on X.
According to police, three sub-inspectors—Amaresh, Manjunath and Sachin—were killed and two others seriously injured after their car rammed into a lorry on the Bengaluru–Ballari highway on Sunday morning.
The accident occurred near Prakash Sponge Iron Company when the car, carrying five sub-inspectors travelling from Bengaluru to Ballari, crashed into a lorry moving ahead. As an impact, the vehicle was dragged for nearly 300 metres, officials said.
The injured, identified as Lakshman and Eshwar, were initially admitted to the Challakere Government Hospital before being shifted to a private hospital in Chitradurga and later referred to Davanagere for further treatment.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
