Madikeri: Auto driver held for raping woman manual labourer returning from work in Ponnampet
Madikeri: Kodagu police officers arrested an auto rickshaw driver under charge of sexually assaulting a woman while she was returning home from work in Ponnampet recently.
The arrested Manikantha allegedly approached the woman, who was a manual labourer, in a Maruti Omni car in Ponnampet when she was on her way home at 5:30 pm on Sunday. He told the woman that he was going to Kunda and offered to drop her on the way. The woman, who wanted to go to B. Shettygeri, agreed for the drop.
The woman lodged a complaint with the Gonikoppa police on Thursday, alleging that Manikantha had stopped the car after a short distance, sexually assaulted her, also warned her not to file a complaint if she did not want to get killed, and left her on the road.
The Gonikoppa Police, who registered the complaint and investigated the matter, arrested Manikantha.
Virajpet DySP R Mohan Kumar, Gonikoppa Circle Inspector Vasant. K. M., Station officer Siddaraj and staff were a part of the investigating team.
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Former principal, rector of St Aloysius College Fr Leo D’Souza SJ passes away
Mangaluru: Former Rector and Principal of St Aloysius College Fr Leo D’Souza SJ passed away at the Father Muller’s Hospital in the city on Tuesday. He was 93.
Born in Mangaluru, he received his early education at the St Aloysius College institutions, with which he was associated all through his life. He also held the posts of principal of the St Aloysius College and rector of the St Aloysius College institutions.
Fr Leo completed his PhD at the Max Planck Society of Germany before establishing the Applied Biology Laboratory at the St Aloysius College (Autonomous) in Mangaluru.
A renowned Jesuit priest, he was world famous for his research work in Botany. Several articles based on his research were also published in international journals.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to higher education and spiritual leadership, Fr Leo was honored with the prestigious Canisius Medal at the International Association of Jesuit Universities (IAJU) conference held in Bogota, Colombia, in July 2025.
The funeral mass will be held at the Divine Mercy Church at Fatima Retreat House, Mangaluru at 3 pm on Thursday, following which he will be laid to rest at the Jesuit Cemetery in Attavar.
