Two robbers shot at in Dharwad
Hubballi/Dharwad (Karnataka), Jul 24 (PTI): Two suspected robbers were shot at when they tried to escape from the police in the wee hours of Thursday, near the Police Training School here, said Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N Shashikumar.
The incident happened at Vidyanagar police station limits.
According to Shashikumar, a Doordarshan employee was returning home on his bike when armed robbers tried to intercept and rob him on Wednesday night. He escaped and reported to the police.
Police swung into action and nabbed one of the accused, Hussainsab Kanavalli. He is a notorious criminal wanted in more than 35 theft cases across Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra, the official said.
Interrogation of Kanavalli led police to the hideout of the remaining gang members.
When Kanavalli was taken to the hideout, he reportedly attacked the policemen and escaped. A scuffle broke out and two other accussed -- Vijay Annigeri and Muzammil Saudagar -- tried to flee. Police sub-inspector Mallikarjun warned them and, in self-defence, fired at their legs, Shashikumar said.
Both accused are residents of Rajiv Gandhi Nagar and are said to be part of an organised burglary gang.
Investigations revealed that the gang avoided phone conversations and used Instagram messages to plan their operations, attempting to elude police surveillance.
Shashikumar visited the Dharwad District Hospital and enquired about the condition of Mallikarjun and Constable Ishaq, who sustained injuries during the operation.
He also enquired about Annigeri and Saudagar, who are being treated under tight police security.
Shashikumar said that the trio had attempted to snatch the bike from the Doordarshan employee and their attempt failed.
Based on a tip-off, police teams from three stations in Dharwad set up checkposts and managed to apprehend Kanavalli. However, he escaped while being taken to the hideout to identify the other suspects. A search operation is underway to trace him, the police officer said.
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Kangana Ranaut sparks row: Claims Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem
New Delhi: A significant political controversy has erupted following the Modi government's decision to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a move that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. The row was further fueled by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who, while defending the name change, erroneously claimed that Mahatma Gandhi had made the devotional song "Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram" India’s national anthem.
The central government has rebranded the flagship rural employment scheme from MGNREGA to the "Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission," abbreviated as VB-G RAM G. The removal of Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme has been termed an insult to the Father of the Nation by the Congress and other opposition parties.
When questioned by the media outside Parliament regarding the opposition's allegations, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut defended the government's decision by invoking Mahatma Gandhi's devotion to Lord Ram.
"How is naming it 'Ram Ji' an insult to Gandhi ji?" Ranaut asked. "Mahatma Gandhi made 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' the national anthem to organize the entire country. Therefore, this is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi? The government is fulfilling his dream by giving it the name of Ram."
Ranaut's claim regarding the national anthem was immediately seized upon by the opposition. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate shared the video of Ranaut’s statement on social media, tweeting sarcastically, "Come on brother, today we learned a new national anthem! The BJP is full of such gems."
Social media users also trolled the MP for the factual error. One user quipped, "Kangana ji forgot to mention that Bapu made this the national anthem after the country got independence in 2014," while another commented that the party finds people who "don't use their brains while forwarding WhatsApp messages."
Beyond the social media mockery, senior Congress leaders criticised the renaming on ideological grounds. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the move.
"The biggest irony is that Mahatma Gandhi was a lifelong devotee of Lord Ram and said 'Hey Ram' in his last moments," Gehlot wrote. "Today, the central government is making a despicable attempt to sideline Gandhi ji under the guise of the same 'Ram' name (VB-G RAM G), which is highly condemnable."
मनरेगा का नाम बदलने की केंद्र सरकार की कवायद महात्मा गांधी के प्रति उनकी ओछी मानसिकता और असम्मान का प्रमाण है। सरकार पहले 'पूज्य बापू' के नाम का शिगूफा छोड़ती है और फजीहत होने पर अब 'विकसित भारत-गारंटी फॉर रोजगार एंड आजीविका मिशन (VB-G RAM G)' जैसा नाम थोपना चाहती है। बार-बार नाम…
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) December 15, 2025
गांधी जी ने ‘रघुपति राघव राजा राम’ को लेकर नेशनल एंथम बनाया था
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 16, 2025
BJP MP कंगना रनौत
चलो भाई आज नया नेशनल एंथम भी पता चला है!
BJP में एक से एक शिरोमणि भरे पड़े हैं 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/9DvyV5xLb1
