Devanahalli land acquisition withdrawal victory for farmers: Actor Prakash Raj
Bengaluru: Celebrated multilingual actor and activist Prakash Raj hailed the Karnataka government's decision to cancel the land acquisition process in Channarayanapatna and other villages of Devanahalli taluk as a "historic victory" for the farmers.
Reacting to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s announcement on the withdrawal of the acquisition notification, Prakash Raj said, “This is a win for those farmers who firmly stood by their land and consistently fought to remain as cultivators. It is a powerful example of how people’s movements, when sustained with determination, can lead to historic victories.”
Prakash Raj, who had extended his support to the agitating farmers and even participated in their protests, stated that the government's decision is a result of the farmers’ unrelenting struggle, despite immense pressure and inducements. “They resisted for three long years without giving in to any offers or temptations. This movement is not just a protest but a symbol of the power of collective voice,” he added.
He further said that when ordinary citizens anywhere rise against injustice, and when society stands with them, governments are forced to listen. “If someone cries alone, the world ignores it. But when another person stands beside the one who is crying, a movement begins. And that’s what happened here. This is a huge step forward in the awakening of public consciousness,” he noted.
Speaking to reporters, Prakash Raj also commented on Siddaramaiah’s role in the matter. “The Chief Minister has shown that he is truly a people’s leader. But let us not forget—it took him three years to hear the farmers’ plea. While it’s commendable that he finally responded, the delay also needs to be acknowledged.”
He emphasized the importance of an alert and questioning civil society, saying, “No matter how good a leader may be, they will only remain good if people keep questioning them. Otherwise, power itself can corrupt. Even good leaders need strength and support from the people to continue doing the right thing. This farmers’ protest has proven that,” he said.
Prakash Raj concluded by saying that this struggle should become a starting point for many such people’s movements, and it sets a strong example for others fighting injustice across the country.
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Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
