Bengaluru, May 10 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday directed officials to crackdown on illegal stockpiling and black marketing of essential commodities in the state.

Chairing a meeting with officials of various deparmtents, he highlighted the need to combat fake news and keep a close watch on those inciting communal tensions.

“There should be continuous monitoring of illegal stockpiling and black market activities, and attempts to increase the price of goods unnecessarily should be prevented,” he said.

He also directed all Deputy Commissioners (DC) and Superintendents of Police (SP) to hold daily media briefings until the ongoing crisis is brought under control.

“All DCs and SPs should prepare a list of all those who are exploiting the situation to threaten the harmony of the country and the state, inciting communal sentiments, creating communal divisions, and conspiring to endanger the security of the country, and to subject them to legal action,” the CM said.

At the meeting, officials were directed to take strict action against attempts to disrupt communal harmony. The list of communal mongers should be updated and they should be kept under surveillance.

Siddaramaiah stressed the need to curb fake news in the state and initiate strict action against those spreading it.

“Be careful to avoid spreading fake news in the media and social media. Nothing is bigger than the law and order of the state. Give first priority to the protection of the people of the state.”

Regarding security related exercises, he said mock drills should be conducted at important places.

“Instructions have already been given to take strict security measures along with law and order. Be prepared to face any situation. Guidelines should be prepared at the state and district levels in this regard,” Siddaramaiah said.

He also emphasised strengthening the intelligence network to ensure better security at public service delivery sites.

“Recruitment of volunteers for civil defence system should begin in all districts. Arrangements should be made for online registration. Security should be tightened along the coast. Continuous patrolling should be arranged at all important places,” the Chief Minister said in the meeting.

Siddaramaiah said fire brigade stations should be on a standby round-the-clock till normalcy returns. Further, help centres should be opened in all districts and helplines should be started.

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Indore (PTI): The classmate of a 24-year-old female MBA student, arrested in Indore for her murder, allegedly abused the body after the killing and also performed occult rituals while on the run, police said.

On February 13, people complained of a foul smell emanating from a closed house in the city's Dwarkapuri police station area.

After police arrived at the scene, the naked body of a 24-year-old woman was found in the house.

The woman was pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from a city college and the body was found in her classmate's rented house, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shrikrishna Lalchandani told PTI on Monday.

The classmate fled after the incident. He was taken into custody in Mumbai and is being interrogated after his arrest, the official said.

Referring to the accused's interrogation, the official said he allegedly strangled his classmate to death and then "abused" the body.

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"The accused also performed witchcraft near Panvel (in Navi Mumbai) while on the run. The accused claims that he was mentally disturbed after the murder and wanted to communicate with the woman's spirit through witchcraft," he said.

According to the DCP, the woman and the accused were in a close relationship.

"The accused suspected that she was talking to other men. Enraged, he killed her and fled," the official said.

After the woman's body was found, her father accused the classmate of trying to extort money from his daughter using her obscene photos and then torturing her to death.

The accused had even posted these photos on her college WhatsApp group, he alleged.