Jan 12: Over 21,000 new COVID cases in Karnataka; 15,617 from Bengaluru Urban alone
Bengaluru, Jan 12: Reporting yet another spike, Karnataka on Wednesday registered 21,390 fresh cases of COVID-19 and 10 fatalities, taking the tally to 30,99,519 and the death toll to 38,389.
The state has been witnessing a steady surge in cases since the last week of December and had reported 14,473 new infections yesterday.
Of the new cases on Wednesday, 15,617 were from Bengaluru Urban that saw 874 people being discharged and 6 deaths.
The total number of active cases across the state is now 93,099.
There were 1,541 discharges, taking the total number of recoveries to 29,68,002, the health department bulletin said.
While the positivity rate for the day stood at 10.96 per cent, the case fatality rate (CFR) was 0.04 per cent.
Of the ten deaths, six are from Bengaluru Urban and one each from Ballari, Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi and Mysuru.
Apart from Bengaluru Urban, Tumakuru recorded the second highest of 594 new cases, Mysuru 524, Dakshina Kannada 519, Hassan 409 and Udupi 361.
Bengaluru Urban district now has a total of 13,34,957 positive cases, followed by Mysuru 1,82,725 and Tumakuru 1,22,845.
According to the bulletin, Bengaluru Urban tops the list among discharges with 12,44,869, followed by Mysuru 1,78,018 and Tumakuru 1,20,231.
Cumulatively, a total of 5,81,69,653 samples have been tested in the state, of which 1,95,047 were on Wednesday alone.
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Protest against demolition drive turns violent in Kolkata, 3 cops injured
Kolkata (PTI): A protest against the recent bulldozer action in Kolkata's Tiljala turned violent on Sunday as demonstrators hurled stones at police personnel in the minority-dominated Park Circus area, injuring at least three officials and damaging several vehicles.
The flare-up came days after bulldozers rolled into Tiljala as part of the West Bengal government's demolition drive against alleged illegal constructions following the factory fire that killed two persons earlier this week.
On Sunday afternoon, a large number of people gathered near Park Circus Seven Point Crossing to protest against the anti-encroachment drive and attempted to block roads, police said.
As police tried to disperse, what they described as an "unlawful assembly", a section of protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting, triggering chaos in the area.
Several vehicles parked along the roadside, including those carrying central forces, were vandalised, officials said.
Heavy deployment of Kolkata Police and central forces was made in the area after the clashes. Route marches and intensified patrolling were undertaken in adjoining localities to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.
Kolkata Police Additional Commissioner Ashesh Biswas said action has already been initiated against those involved in the violence.
"Some people tried to block the road. It was an illegal gathering. The police were trying to disperse them, and there was pelting of stones. Three of our colleagues were injured," Biswas told reporters.
"We have already arrested a few people," he said.
The officer said police followed standard operating procedures, and efforts were underway to identify all those involved in the violence.
"There was an attack on the police. We will see who is behind it and arrest everyone. Strict legal action will be taken," he added.
While the police maintained the agitation was linked to administrative action against illegal buildings, some locals claimed that grievances over alleged restrictions on the use of loudspeakers during religious prayers and curbs on offering prayers on roads had also contributed to the tensions.
The developments come close on the heels of tension in Kolkata's Rajabazar area on Friday, where a standoff broke out after a group of people allegedly attempted to offer prayers on a public road despite restrictions on blocking traffic.
According to police sources, a large contingent of personnel reached the area and asked people to vacate the road, after which the situation turned tense briefly.
Members of the local community argued that holding Friday prayers on roads had been a long-standing practice in the locality, while the administration maintained that keeping roads clear was necessary for traffic movement and maintenance of law and order.
Police, however, did not indicate any direct connection between the Rajabazar incident and Sunday's violence in Park Circus.
Authorities also did not immediately disclose the number of persons arrested in Sunday's clashes or whether any protesters sustained injuries during the confrontation.
