Dinesh Gundu Rao seeks more Vande Bharat trains between Mangaluru-Bengaluru; Writes to Centre
Says Mangaluru has potential to emerge as strong alternative to Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Dakshina Kannada district in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has written to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, urging the Centre to introduce additional Vande Bharat train services between Mangaluru and Bengaluru to improve daily connectivity.
In his letter, Dinesh Gundu Rao said the Karnataka government is focusing on developing tier-2 cities into modern work and industry destinations to ensure balanced growth across the state and generate employment opportunities. He noted that Mangaluru has the potential to emerge as a strong alternative to Bengaluru, citing its strengths in education, commerce and culture, but pointed out that inadequate fast transport links have limited the city’s growth.
The minister said that the absence of quick daily travel options forces professionals and businesspersons to spend nights travelling for short-duration work, resulting in loss of productive time. He described this as unfair to the people of Dakshina Kannada, many of whom regularly commute between the two cities.
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To address this, Dinesh Gundu Rao requested the introduction of Vande Bharat trains from Mangaluru to Bengaluru at 4 am, 10 am and 6 pm, with return services on the same day on all weekdays. He said such services would significantly benefit working professionals and business communities and provide a major boost to economic activity in coastal Karnataka.
The minister added that improved high-speed rail connectivity would facilitate exchanges in healthcare, banking, commerce and industry, as both cities complement each other. He also said better connectivity would attract travellers from other parts of India and abroad to Mangaluru, given the city’s existing infrastructure and facilities.
Stating that passenger occupancy would not be a concern for these services, Dinesh Gundu Rao said the proposal reflects the aspirations of both the Karnataka government and the people of coastal Karnataka. He expressed hope for a positive response from the Union Railway Ministry.
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Chhatrasal Stadium murder case: Delhi HC seeks police's stand on wrestler Sushil Kumar's bail plea
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of Delhi Police on a bail plea by Olympian Sushil Kumar in the murder case of former junior national wrestling champion Sagar Dhankar.
Justice Anup J Bhambhani issued notice to Delhi Police and the kin of the deceased, and asked them to file a status report and a reply, respectively.
Noting that the Supreme Court had cancelled the bail granted to Kumar by the high court in August last year, the judge remarked, "I think you are being ambitious."
"Once the Supreme Court has taken a view, what do you expect from me?" the court asked.
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The counsel for the accused said the bail plea should be considered since all public witnesses have been examined in the trial.
The counsel for Delhi Police and the deceased's kin, however, said all public witnesses were yet to be examined.
"Let a status report/detailed reply be filed before the next date of hearing. Renotify on May 4," the court said.
Kumar was arrested in May 2021 and a sessions court granted him a week's interim bail for his knee surgery on July 19, 2023.
On August 13, 2025, the Supreme Court cancelled Kumar's bail, setting aside a March 4 high court order and noting that his "domineering influence" over witnesses or delaying the trial proceedings could not be ruled out.
On February 6 this year, a trial court refused to grant bail to Kumar, saying the possibility that the accused might influence witnesses "cannot be ruled out".
The trial court, in October 2022, framed charges against Kumar under Indian Penal Code sections dealing with murder, criminal conspiracy, intimidation and rioting with a deadly weapon. Charges were also framed under the provisions of the Arms Act.
The trial court had noted that after being abducted and brought to the Chhatrasal Stadium, Dhankar was severely assaulted by several accused persons with baseball and hockey sticks.
