Karnataka to launch guided tours inside majestic Vidhana Soudha
Bengaluru: The Karnataka state government has announced plans to open the doors of the Vidhana Soudha, one of Bengaluru’s most iconic landmarks, to the public through guided tours. Expected to begin soon, these tours will allow visitors to explore the historic 70-year-old structure, much like the guided tours at Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament in New Delhi.
This new initiative follows the state's recent decision to illuminate the majestic Vidhana Soudha on Sundays and public holidays to attract more tourists. “The government wants them to see the Soudha from inside and know the history and significance of the building,” government sources were quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
The Tourism Department had sought approval from the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) to conduct the tours, which was subsequently granted. According to the order, the tours will be available between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays, second Saturdays, and other government holidays to avoid disrupting government operations.
A digital system for online ticket booking will also be developed by the Tourism Department, the report added. While the exact fare for the tour has not yet been finalised, it is expected to be reasonably priced for the public.
Each tour will be limited to 30 members, and the department will appoint a dedicated tourist officer to oversee the entire process. The visitors should mandatorily have a government ID proof like Aadhaar Card or Voter’s ID to enter the premises. Details of all visitors will need to be submitted to DPAR and security officials daily to ensure proper monitoring.
Additionally, necessary safety measures, including the deployment of an ambulance, fire extinguishers, and other precautions, will be put in place. The use of flying drones will be strictly prohibited.
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Woman, 2 sons found dead in Delhi home; suicide suspected
New Delhi (PTI): Three members of a family were found dead inside their home in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Friday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide, officials said.
Police said the incident came to light around 2.47 pm when a police team reached the premises to execute a court order related to possession of the property. When repeated knocks went unanswered, the staff used a duplicate key to open the door.
Inside, officers found Anuradha Kapoor (52) and her sons, Ashish Kapoor (32) and Chaitanya Kapoor (27), hanging from the ceiling, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a statement. All three were declared dead.
A handwritten note was recovered from the room, suggesting the family had been struggling with depression.
"The handwritten note indicates emotional distress faced by the family due to which the family may have taken the extreme step," the officer said.
The bodies have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) mortuary for post-mortem and other legal formalities under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), police said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said they were shocked to learn about the deaths, adding that the family kept largely to themselves.
Pankaj Kashyap, a resident of Girinagar, said he learnt about the deaths while leaving for work. "I live and work here and was leaving for work when I saw many people standing outside and talking. That is how I got to know that three people had committed suicide. I also saw several police vehicles outside, but I do not know much beyond that," he said.
Baldev, another neighbour, said the family had been living in the newly constructed house for around two years. "We only knew that a mother and her two children lived there. They had moved into the newly built house around two years ago. We did not interact much with them. Today we heard that all three have committed suicide, and whatever we know is based on what people here are saying," he said.
Another neighbour, Ramesh Kumar, claimed the family had earlier attempted suicide.
"About fifteen to twenty days ago, the two sons in the family had attempted suicide and police and ambulances had come. That was when I first got to know who they were. I do not recognise them by face, but we saw the ambulances and police take the two sons that day. Today again we saw ambulances and police arriving, so everyone came out to see what had happened. I do not know how long they had been living here, but this is all we know," he said.
Police said they are examining the family's financial condition, social circumstances, and other factors that may have contributed to the incident. Further investigation is underway.
