Siddaramaiah alleges underreporting of COVID deaths; govt rejects charge
Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader Siddaramiah on Wednesday accused the Karnataka government of under reporting the COVID-19 deaths in the state and trying to "cover up" its "gross mismanagement and negligence", a charge rejected by the latter.
As the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly hit out at the BJP government over the handling of the pandemic, Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar said it was not suppressing any information about COVID-19 and has no need for such a course.
Siddaramiah, in a series of tweets, sought more transparency and accountability, as he said that deaths reported at a hospital in Kolar district last week did not get reflected in COVID-19 bulletin.
"There are serious under reporting issues with respect to Covid-19 deaths. Jalappa hospital has reported 4 deaths between 19th Sep, 12 PM to 20th Sep, 12 PM. But, the bulletin on 20 Sept has reported 0 deaths in Kolar," Siddaramaiah tweeted, sharing pictures of the report.
He pointed out that the same hospital had reported one death between 12 PM on Sep 20 to 12 PM next day, but the bulletin on September 21 has reported nil deaths in Kolar.
"What is the govt trying to hide by underreporting? Is it your failure?" he asked, tagging Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, Health Minister B Sriramulu and Sudhakar in a tweet.
"Under reporting will have serious implications on the preparedness of the stakeholders providing health care and also on the behaviour of the people. Yediyurappa govt is trying to cover up its gross mismanagement and negligence.
There has to be more transparency and accountability," Siddaramaiah added.
Rejecting the claims, Minister Sudhakar in a statement said the government has maintained transparency in presenting facts and figures related to COVID-19.
Responding to allegations of underreporting of Covid related death in Kolar, he said that there were three deaths in RLJ Hospital (Jalappa hospital) on September 19 and as there was a delay in reporting the death by the hospital, it was reported on September 24.
The death that occurred on September 20 too was reported on the September 25 due to the same reason, he clarified.
Sudhakar further stated that even at national level, the BJP government has been prompt, honest, and transparent in presenting the information on Covid19, and this has been further proven by a media survey that was conducted recently.
During the recently concluded monsoon session of the state assembly, opposition Congress legislators had made similar charges of suppressing data against the government, which Sudhakar had rejected by saying that ICMR has complemented Karnataka for providing correct data.
As of September 29 evening, cumulatively 5.92 lakh COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 8,777 deaths and 4,76,378 discharges.
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Congress Corporator's daughter stabbed to death inside college campus in Hubballi
Hubballi (Karnataka), Apr 18: The daughter of a Congress Corporator was stabbed to death by her acquaintance inside BVB college campus here on Thursday after she allegedly rejected his proposal, police said.
The deceased Neha (23), the daughter of Niranjan Hiremath, was a first-year MCA student, they said.
The accused 23-year-old Fayaz, an MCA dropout, has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said, adding that both of them were batchmates during their BCA course.
The entire incident was caught on CCTV camera.
According to the police, Fayaz went inside the college campus with a knife and stabbed Neha five-six times. During the attack, he too sustained injuries and was shifted to the hospital along with the victim. At the hospital, Neha was declared brought dead.
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"During interrogation, he (Fayaz) claimed that the two of them had been in a relationship and that she had suddenly started avoiding him. It needs to be corroborated and verified, but he was arrested immediately," a senior police officer said.
A case of murder has been registered, police said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Narrating about the incident, Neha's father Hiremath said that his daughter had classes from 8 am. At around 4.30 pm, when she stepped out after completing her classes, this person approached towards her and stabbed her nearly six times inside the college campus and she died on the spot.
"He (the accused) was an old student and he had proposed my daughter but she rejected his proposal. She did not like him and she usually stayed away from all this...She refused him saying they both belonged to different caste and that she did not wish to have any relationship with him. Out of anger, he stabbed my daughter," he told PTI videos.
Demanding justice for her daughter, he said that the accused should he hanged to death only then will his daughter's soul rest in peace.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident and offered condolences to the family of the deceased.
"An accused has already been arrested in connection with the incident and I have instructed the Director General of Police to conduct a strict investigation and take action to ensure maximum punishment for the accused," he said in a post on 'X'.
He also appealed to people to not take law into their hands.
"In connection with the incident, no one should get agitated and take law into their hands or attempt to disturb peace of the society. It is our duty to get justice for the death of the young woman, in this regard the police department will work hard," he added.
