Search conducted in hotels occupied by Congress, JDS leaders
Bengaluru, May 14: An election commission squad, along with income tax and enforcement directorate sleuths, Tuesday carried out searches in two hotels at Hubballi where State minister D K Shivakumar and some Congress and JD(S) leaders were staying.
The sleuths seized from the rooms in the hotels gold utensils and other materials allegedly meant for bribing voters.
The raids were carried out in connection with the bypoll in Kundgol seat which fell vacant following the death of sitting MLA C S Shivalli a few months ago.
According to government sources, the squad carried out searches at the two hotels.
While the search in one hotel was wound up soon, the search in the other lasted longer, Congress party sources said.
Karnataka water resources minister D K Shivakumar (Congress) was staying at one of the hotels when the raid took place.
Speaking to PTI, the minister said, The I-T officials had carried out searches in my room as well as in rooms of other congress cadre."
The raids were meant to curb election related malpractices, government sources said.
Two assembly constituencies in Karnataka Chincholi and Kundgol are going to poll on May 19 and the counting would take place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections.
The team seized gold utensils, party caps and photograph of former MLA of Kundgol C S Shivalli, whose widow Kusumavathi is contesting election, from a room where congress worker Shivakumar Chandrashekhar Gokavi was staying, government sources said.
Subsequently, a police complaint was lodged against Gokavi about the violation of the Model Code of Conduct, they said.
Chincholi is going for by polls as the sitting Congress MLA Dr Umesh Jadhav resigned from the assembly to join BJP and contest the Lok Sabha election from Gulbarga on BJP ticket against Congress stalwart Mallikarjun Kharge.
The BJP has given ticket to Jadhav's son Avinash to contest from Chincholi who would have a direct fight with Congress candidate Subhash Rathod.
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Elephant calf brought from Bijnor kept under care at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit (PTI): A 19-day-old elephant calf, brought from Bijnor, was placed under care at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday, an official said and added that the calf got separated from its mother in the forest area of Bijnor.
The calf was born on December 2 in the Bijnor forest area and got separated from its mother shortly after birth, the official said.
The forest department made several attempts to reunite it with its mother, but without any success. To ensure the calf's safety and better care, it was decided to transfer it to the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on the instructions of senior officials.
On Saturday, Deputy Director Manish Singh received the calf. Special arrangements have been made in the reserve for its care. It has been kept in a safe and clean environment to provide it with a natural setting and protect it from external noise and disturbances.
Singh told reporters that raising an 19-day-old calf is challenging.
It requires a special diet as a substitute for mother's milk and constant monitoring.
He said a special team has been formed to provide 24-hour care. Since the calf is very young, it is being cared for like a newborn baby.
According to Singh, the primary responsibility for monitoring the calf's health has been entrusted to PTR's veterinarian, Dr Daksh Gangwar. Under his supervision, a complete record of the calf's health checkups, diet, and body temperature is being maintained. The team is ensuring that the calf does not contract any infection.
