Bengaluru, Sep 2: The Karnataka government has revised its COVID-19 protocol for people coming from Kerala, exempting a set of people from mandatory seven days institutional quarantine.

It had earlier stated that all those coming from Kerala have to be under institutional quarantine for seven days in view of the alarming rise in COVID cases.

The revised protocol exempted constitutional functionaries, healthcare professionals and their spouses from institutional quarantine.

Apart from them, children below two years, people in dire emergency situation such as death in the family or medical treatment, short term travellers (within three days), students arriving to Karnataka for examination along with one parent each and go back within three days and passengers in transit from and to Kerala via any mode of transport have been exempted, the order said.

According to the government order, all students and employees should compulsorily bring negative RT-PCR certificate that is not older than 72 hours irrespective of their COVID-19 vaccination status. It clarified that the validity of such certificates is for one week.

Meanwhile, state Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said the situation in Kerala was "scary."

"We are scared of the prevailing situation in Kerala. The number of COVID patients is not reducing. Yesterday also more than 30,000 people were tested positive for COVID-19," Sudhakar told reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday.

He also said that the situation had prompted the Karnataka government to make institutional quarantine mandatory for those coming from Kerala.

"Students appearing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) have complained that institutional quarantine for a week will affect them. Hence, keeping in view the academic future of the students, the government has directed the centres and institutions to arrange for institutional quarantine," Sudhakar said.

He further said the employers will have to make arrangement for institutional quarantine of their staff.

Others coming here will be home quarantined, he explained.

The Karnataka government had earlier made it mandatory for everyone coming from Kerala to get quarantined for a week even if they possess a negative RT-PCR report or have taken the COVID-19 vaccine.

These measures were taken in view of the alarming rise in COVID cases in the neighbouring Kerala which reported 32,803 new COVID-19 cases and 173 deaths on Wednesday.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.

The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.

The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.

The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.

"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.

On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.

Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.

"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.

Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.

During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.

The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.

Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.

Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.

A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.

Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.

"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.

Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.