Karnataka govt sets up helpline to aid people from the state in quake-hit Turkiye
Bengaluru, Feb 7: The Karnataka government on Tuesday set up a helpline to facilitate information and assistance flow for effected people of Karnataka in Turkiye.
State Emergency Operation Helpline Numbers (Revenue Department-Disaster Management)- 080-1070, 080-22340676- will facilitate information and assistance flow (through Ministry of External Affairs) for effected people of Karnataka in Turkiye, Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority said in a release.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said his government is setting up a helpline to come to the aid of people from the state, in the earthquake-hit Turkiye.
He also said the state government is in touch with the External Affairs Ministry and the Indian Embassy to gather information regarding Kannadigas there.
"If people share information about their family members there in Turkiye, our government will try to reach out and help them, and will also make all required arrangements for them to come back (to India) if required," the CM added.
The earthquake of magnitude 7.8 on Monday killed more than 4,000 people and flattened thousands of buildings in Turkey and neighbouring Syria. It was centred in Turkey's southeastern province of Kahramanmaras and was felt as far away as Cairo.
India has dispatched Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) to Turkiye.
The release has also has shared the helpline number of Embassy of India, at Ankara in Turkiye: Samant Rohan Rajendra, First Secretary (C,P&I) Email: cons.ankara@mea.gov.in Mob:+90-530 314 2203 Tel: +90-312 438 2195-98.
Also, Bobby Rawat, Consular Officer Email: cons1.ankara@mea.gov.in Mob:+90-535 490 4071 (24x7 Helpline Number).
ಟರ್ಕಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಿರಿಯಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಭವಿಸಿದ ವಿನಾಶಕಾರಿ ಭೂಕಂಪದ ಕುರಿತು ರಾಜ್ಯಸರ್ಕಾರ ವಿದೇಶಾಂಗ ಸಚಿವಾಲಯದ ಜೊತೆ ಸಂಪರ್ಕಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಭಾರತೀಯರ ಹಾಗೂ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರ ಕುರಿತು ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಾಗಿ ವಿಶೇಷ ಸಹಾಯ ವಾಣಿಯಯನ್ನು ವಿದೇಶಾಂಗ ಸಚಿವಾಲಯ ಹಾಗೂ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಶೀಘ್ರದಲ್ಲೇ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಲಿದೆ.
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) February 7, 2023
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Karnataka govt forms SIT to probe cases against BJP MLA Munirathna
Bengaluru, Sep 21: The Karnataka government on Saturday constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by Additional Director General of Police (CID) B K Singh to probe three criminal cases registered against BJP MLA Munirathna, including a casteist slur and a rape case.
The announcement came after a court remanded Munirathna to 14 days’ judicial custody in an alleged rape case earlier in the day.
The investigation team also comprises three IPS officers, Labhu Ram, Soumyalatha S K and C A Simon.
The team has been asked to probe not only the three cases against him but also all the cases registered against the MLA and his aides in various police stations across the state.
Munirathna was arrested a week ago in connection with two FIRs being lodged against him for alleged harassment, threats and casteist abuse.
Soon after he was released on bail, he was arrested in a rape case and was remanded to judicial custody on Saturday.
The cases against the Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA were filed at Vyalikaval police station on September 13.
In the first FIR filed by the police based on a complaint by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor Cheluvaraju, the MLA is accused of demanding Rs 30 lakh as a bribe and threatening to terminate his contract if he did not pay the money.
The contractor alleged that Munirathna had initially demanded Rs 20 lakh in 2021 for a solid waste disposal contract. However, despite making that payment for getting 10 auto trippers for a waste management contract, he was not sanctioned those vehicles by the civic body.
According to the FIR, Cheluvaraju was being repeatedly harassed by the MLA, who allegedly verbally abused him and also physically assaulted him.
In the complaint, the contractor further alleged that the MLA did not allow him to execute his work and had even slapped him in September 2023.
Three others, including government officials, were also named in the FIR for allegedly threatening, abusing and harassing the contractor.
Cheluvaraju also claimed in the complaint that he contemplated ending his life because of the repeated harassment.
The contractor has also released a purported audio recording of a phone conversation between him and Munirathna.
According to the police, the second FIR against the accused MLA was filed on the complaint of a BBMP corporator who alleged that Munirathna had hurled casteist abuse, and insulted his caste and family.
The third case was registered on September 19 against Munirathna and six others following the complaint by a 40- year-old woman who alleged that the rape took place at a private resort within the Kaggalipura police station’s jurisdiction.
While Munirathna said the allegations against him were "far from truth", the BJP called it the politics of vendetta.
"For the last 15 years, there have been no allegations by a contractor or from the public that Munirathna has used derogatory language. After the Lok Sabha polls and results, conspiracies have been planned against me," the MLA said.
