Snakebite now a notifiable disease in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Feb 19: The Karnataka government has made snakebite a notifiable disease in the state across all health facilities on the Integrated Health Information Platform, an official order released on Monday said.
According to an official notification dated February 12 , Karnataka’s Health Department has directed all private and government hospitals as well as medical institutes to register all the cases of snakebites -- be it in-patients, out-patients and death cases on the Integrated health Information Platform.
This means that any snakebite case in the state presented to a private or government hospital, must be reported under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program of the state government.
The move comes in the wake of increased incidents of snakebite in Karnataka.
As per a report and data from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, in 2023 alone (between January and October) the state recorded 5,316 snakebites.
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Welcoming the move, Humane Society International (HSI) India said it commends the government’s surveillance measures to reduce the burden of snakebite and celebrates the landmark decision of Karnataka becoming the first state in India to declare snakebite a notifiable disease.
For any intervention to prevent and treat snakebite successfully, data of its prevalence is the first step. By mandating reporting of this disease, the government has ensured that data on a larger volume of snakebite cases will be captured to begin with, it said in a statement.
"This is an important step in ensuring a high degree of surveillance, and we applaud the state government for being the first in the country to do this. This, coupled with other interventions, will go a long way in meaningfully addressing snakebites, reducing the animosity that exists between humans and snakes and eventually lead to fewer mortality in both," said Shubhra Sotie, wildlife research and policy specialist at HSI India.
Sumanth Bindumadhav, director of wildlife protection at HSI India said, "This move by the Karnataka government steps up surveillance at the state level to better inform policy decisions on prevention, treatment and management of snakebites in the state. This could be the start of a snowball effect that leads to other states following suit.”
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Delhi Police busts Rs 300 crore international cyber fraud syndicate, arrests mastermind
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted a major international cyber fraud syndicate -- linked with over 2,000 complaints and scams worth over Rs 300 crore -- with the arrest of its alleged mastermind and 10 others, an official said on Sunday.
During the investigation, police uncovered a well-organised network operating across multiple states with links to international cyber fraud syndicates, particularly in Cambodia.
"We have so far identified over 260 bank accounts linked to more than 100 fictitious companies used to channel the proceeds of crime. The total number of complaints linked to the syndicate stands at 2,567," police said.
The key accused, Karan Kajaria, was apprehended at Kolkata airport on April 3 after a Look Out Circular was issued against him. He was brought to Delhi a day later for further investigation, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam said.
The case came to light following a complaint by a city resident, Sultan, who alleged that he was duped of Rs 31.45 lakh after being lured into an investment scheme.
Police said the victim was persuaded to download a fake trading application and invest money with promises of high returns. However, when he attempted to withdraw the profits, the application stopped functioning, and the group became inaccessible.
"An FIR was registered at the cyber police station in northeast and later transferred to the crime branch for a detailed probe," the officer said.
The syndicate created fake investment platforms and messaging groups to lure victims. They used mule bank accounts arranged through intermediaries and deployed malicious applications to capture sensitive banking details, including OTPs. Funds collected from victims were routed through a complex web of bank accounts and shell companies to conceal the trail, police said.
"Kajaria, who is believed to be the main coordinator, maintained direct links with foreign-based operators and facilitated the movement of funds through cryptocurrency channels,' the DCP said.
He acted as a bridge between Indian operatives and international cyber criminals. He was also involved in procuring mule bank accounts and sharing sensitive banking details via encrypted social media platforms, the DCP added.
Police said Kajaria frequently travelled abroad to establish and strengthen links with overseas fraud networks and had attempted to evade arrest by staying outside India.
Technical surveillance helped investigators trace the network to Kolkata, where several bank accounts and shell entities were found to be operating. Upon his arrival in India, Kajaria was intercepted at the airport and taken into custody.
During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to his involvement in the syndicate, police said, adding that accounts linked to his network were associated with more than 2,500 complaints registered on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and fraud of Rs 300 crore, the DCP said.
The investigation revealed that the syndicate had been active for the past four to five years and operated on a large scale across multiple states.
During the crackdown, police recovered 48 mobile phones, 258 SIM cards, multiple ATM cards and cheque books, four laptops, and several banking and KYC documents. Funds amounting to Rs 19 lakh have also been frozen. A total of 11 accused have been arrested in the case so far, police said, adding that further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate.
