State Nataka Academi awards announced
Bengaluru, Dec 14: The Karnataka State Nataka Academy has announced the lifetime honorary awards, annual theatre awards and various endowment awards for 2018.
Lifetime honorary award: The Academy has selected senior theatre director and activist of Mysuru district, P Gangadhara Swamy for the award.
Annual theatre award: Ugama Srinivas of Bengaluru district (Amateur theatre, theatre organizer, actor and theatre critic), DL Nanjundaswamy of Tumkur (Rural theatre and theatre music), Jakavullha of Hassan district (actor, professional theatre), Prabhakar Joshi of Kalaburgi district (Actor, director, organizer, writer and amateur theatre), Vijayananda Karadigudda of Raichur district (professional theatre actor), Khajesab Jangi of Bagalkot district (professional theatre actor), Basappa Madari of Vijayapura district (professional theatre actor), M Ravi of Bengaluru district (actor, director), Jagadeesh Kenganala of Bengaluru rural district (actor, amateur theatre and organizer), Kiragasur Rajappa of Chamarajanagar district (theatre music, director and rural theatre), T Prabhakar Kalyani of Udupi district (actor, organizer, amateur theatre), S Anjinamma of Bellary district (actress, ancient theatre form), Savithri Narayanappa Goudara of Gadag district (actor, professional theatre), Makammal Hunasikatti of Belagavi district (actor, director, organizer), Hanumanthappa Bagalakoti of Chitradurga (professional theatre).
Dr KY Narayanaswamy of Kolar (theatre activist), Usha Bhandari of Dakshina Kannada (actress, director, amateur theatre), DM Rajakumar of Shivamogga (actor, amateur theatre), Anjinappa of Doddaballapura (Actor, amateur theatre), Hulivana Gangadharaiah of Tumkur (actor, organizer), Mohan Marnadu of Mumbai (actor, organizer), Kenchegowda T of Mandya (actor, rural theatre), Mime Ramesh of Mysuru (actor, organizer, director), Chindodi Chandradhara of Davangere (professional theatre, actor, company owner), Eshwaradala of Tumkur (actor, amateur theatre).
K Hirannaiah Endowment Award
The Academy has selected actor and director of Amateur theatre Nicholas (68) of Hassan district for Cultured Comedian K Hirannaiah Endowment Award.
Chindodi Veerappa Endowment Award
Professional theatre actor Mruthyunjaya Swamy Hiremath (72) of Shivamogga district was selected for Chindodi Veerappa Endowment Award.
Chindodi Leela Endowment Award
Professional theatre director, actor and organizer MS Malawada (62) of Dharwad district was given Padma Shri Chindodi Leela Endowment Award.
K Ramachandraiah Endowment Fund award
Amateur theatre actor NL Nagaraj (75) of Ramanagar district was given K Ramachandraiah Endowment Fund award.
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Man held for cheating IT official by posing as 'parrot astrologer'
Bengaluru (PTI): A 59-year-old man was arrested for allegedly duping an Income Tax department official by posing as a "parrot astrologer" and promising career growth and better life through rituals, police said on Wednesday.
With the arrest of the accused astrologer Shekar, police claimed to have recovered gold ornaments weighing 124 grams and silver articles weighing 796 grams, with a total value of Rs 20.60 lakh.
The matter came to light after the victim, who is a senior administrative officer in the Income Tax department, lodged a complaint at Bharatinagar police station here on March 5, police said.
According to police, in the complaint, the victim stated that while passing near Sri Circle, he was approached by a person claiming to practise parrot astrology. The accused called him over, claimed he could predict the future by looking at his face, and convinced him to perform a ritual.
Initially, the accused collected Rs 50,000 from the complainant. Later, he allegedly told the victim that an elaborate ritual was necessary for career promotion, transfer, and overall improvement in life, and threatened that failure to do so would bring misfortune, he alleged.
"Under this pretext, the accused took 194 grams of gold ornaments and 1.3 kg of silver articles from the complainant, assuring they would be returned after the ritual," police said.
When the complainant later demanded the return of the valuables, the accused allegedly threatened him, they said.
During the investigation, police gathered credible information and apprehended the accused near Cantonment Railway Station on March 12 and upon interrogation, he confessed to committing the offence with the intention of making quick money, a senior police officer said.
He was produced before a court on March 13 and taken into police custody for five days.
During sustained questioning, the accused revealed that he had sold the stolen gold and silver items at a jewellery shop in Halasuru. Based on his information, police recovered 124 grams of gold ornaments and 796 grams of silver articles from the shop on March 15, valued at Rs 20.60 lakh, the officer said.
The accused was again produced before the court on March 17 and was remanded to judicial custody, he added.
