Madikeri: Averting a major tragedy, a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus collided with a tree as the driver lost its control, avoiding a fall into a potentially tragic 50 feet gorge here at Kumbaragadige near Surlabbi in Somwarpet taluk.  

The incident reportedly happened, after the driver of the KSRTC bus heading towards Somwarpet from Madikeri via Surlabbi lost control over the vehicle at the turn near Kumbaragadi village. As a result, the bus hit a tree on the side of the road. Among the passengers in the bus, most of them were reported to be school children. 

Meanwhile, had the bus continued without hitting the tree, it might have ended up plunging into a 50-foot-deep gorge. The road in Surlabbi is narrow and has several curves. Simultaneously the locals claimed that the absence of signboards in the area was the cause of the accident, they also urged the concerned authorities to immediately install sign boards at the curves.

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Mumbai: Reliance Industries has clarified that it has no intention of trademarking the term "Operation Sindoor", describing it as an evocative symbol of Indian bravery that belongs to the national consciousness. The company issued a statement on Friday, stating that its media arm, Jio Studios, had filed a trademark application inadvertently and without proper authorisation.

The statement read, "Jio Studios, a unit of Reliance Industries, has withdrawn its trademark application, which was filed inadvertently by a junior person without authorisation." It added that the company and all its stakeholders take immense pride in Operation Sindoor, which was launched by the Indian Armed Forces in response to a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam. "Operation Sindoor is the proud achievement of our brave Armed Forces in India's uncompromising fight against the evil of terrorism," the company stated.

The clarification came after reports emerged that Reliance Industries, along with three other individuals, had submitted trademark applications for the term 'Operation Sindoor' under Class 41 of the Nice Classification. According to a report by Bar and Bench, the applications were filed between 10:42 am and 6:27 pm on May 7 by Reliance Industries, Mumbai resident Mukesh Chetram Agrawal, retired Group Captain Kamal Singh Oberh of the Indian Air Force, and Delhi-based lawyer Alok Kothari. All four had marked the term as “proposed to be used,” suggesting possible commercial use in the future.

Class 41 of the Nice Classification covers a wide range of services, including education and training, film and media production, live performances, digital content and publishing, and cultural or sporting events. It is a category commonly used by OTT platforms, broadcasters, production houses, and event organisers—leading to speculation that 'Operation Sindoor' might be used as a title for a film, documentary, or series.

The incident also sheds light on the lack of legal protection for the names of military operations in India. Currently, the Ministry of Defence does not register or treat such names as intellectual property, and they are not automatically safeguarded. This means that private individuals or companies can file trademark claims over such names unless specific legal steps are taken to prevent it.