“Retired DGP Om Prakash, 1981 batch IPS officer from Karnataka, has been murdered. The murder took place at a residence in HSR Layout, Bengaluru. The exact reason for the incident is not yet known,” the city police said in a brief statement.

Police officials reached the scene shortly after receiving information about the incident. No arrest has been made in connection with the case at this time. The motive behind the killing remains unknown.

More information is awaited pending the outcome of a full inquiry into the gruesome killing of the former Karnataka DGP.

(With inputs from agencies)

4 Dubai Trips In Two Weeks

The authorities were keeping an eye on Ranya and she had been under cops’ radar for some time. The suspicion grew after she visited Dubai in 15 days. She was nabbed by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials on March 3. The officials seized gold worth over Rs 12.5 crore from her possession at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

The actress was allegedly trying to smuggle the yellow metal in India by wearing jewellery and hiding the rest in her attire.

Thorough Investigation

Following her arrest, authorities conducted a search of her residence, uncovering gold jewelry valued at more than Rs 2 crore and Indian currency totaling Rs 2.67 crore. Currently, three agencies are investigating various aspects of the case. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is examining allegations against Ranya, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is exploring the broader international smuggling network, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is focusing on the money laundering components of these cases.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has ordered an inquiry into the alleged misuse of VIP airport protocol.

In his recent statement, K Ramachandra Rao stated that he was “shocked and devastated” to hear of the case.

“Like any other father, I was shocked and devastated when it came to my notice through the media. I was not aware of any of these things. I don’t want to say anything more,” Roa stated at the time of her stepdaughter’s arrest.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

In a letter addressed to the Additional Director General of the DRI in Bengaluru on March 6, Ranya claimed that a false case had been foisted on her.

She stated that she was wrongly accused of carrying more than 14 kg of gold upon her return from Dubai.

“Your officers did not permit me to explain that I am innocent in this matter,” alleged Harshavardhini Ranya, also known as Ranya Rao.

The actress further claimed that from the time she was detained until she was produced before the court, she was slapped in the face 10 to 15 times.

“Despite repeated hitting and slapping, I refused to sign the statement they prepared.”

She also alleged that she was forced to sign 50 to 60 typed papers and around 40 blank sheets.

“One of the officers told me, ‘If you don’t sign, we will expose your father’s name and identity, even though we know he is not involved,” the model-actor claimed.

Ranya is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank officer K. Ramachandra Rao, who currently serves as the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.

She has also acted in films, including ‘Maanikya’.

The DRI had earlier stated in a press release that gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from Ranya at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 upon her arrival from Dubai.

Following searches at her residence, officials also recovered gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 2.67 crore.

As per the notice, the decision has been taken as a “precautionary measure” for Aero India show, scheduled from February 10 to 14. The action, they said, has primarily been taken to prevent bird strikes on airplanes during practice sessions and at the event.

According to a notice dated January 17, issued by the Office of the Joint Commissioner, Yelahanka Zone, all meat-related establishments in the specified area must remain closed from January 23 to February 17. The order also mandates a blanket prohibition on serving or selling non-vegetarian dishes during this period.

The BBMP has warned that any violation of this order will result in penalties under the BBMP Act 2020 and Indian Aircraft Rules 1937, Rule 91.

Aero India 2025

Aero India, Asia’s largest aerospace and defense exhibition, is a biennial event where leading aerospace and defence manufactures from India and across the globe, showcase their latest innovations, products, and services. This year, the Aero India 2025 will showcase a diverse array of military and civilian aircraft, along with cutting-edge aerospace technologies.

The exhibition is expected to attract industry professionals, aviation enthusiasts, and the general public, offering a platform for networking, collaboration, and exploring the latest advancements in the aerospace sector.

The planned power cuts will affect several commercial, operational, and regulatory divisions of BESCOM, with outages lasting over seven hours in the listed regions. BESCOM has assured residents that electricity will be restored promptly after 5:00 PM on both days. The maintenance efforts are part of the company’s ongoing initiative to upgrade the city’s electrical infrastructure, aimed at ensuring long-term stability and better service delivery.

On January 18, power interruptions will impact areas including Nitturu, Gubbi, Bidare, Doddaguni, Kadaba, Kalluru, K.G. Temple, Ungra, and Somalapura.

On January 19, the outage will extend to regions connected to 11 kV feeders from Antarasanahalli, T.M.T.P., Vasanthanarasapura, and Tovinakere.

BESCOM has urged residents in the affected areas to make the necessary arrangements to manage during the scheduled outage.

Affected Areas:

SJP Road and Nearby Areas

Affected areas and timings

The maintenance work at the 66/11KV Batarayanapura Substation will cause power cuts from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM in locations which comes under the C-8 Sub-Division of the Hebbal Division, such as L&T Apartment, Yashodhanagar, Jakkuru Plantation, Century Apartment Batarayanapur, Sparkle One Mall, Amrithalli Sahakanagara G Block, Shabarinagar, Canara Bank Layout, Dhanalakshmi Layout, Tindlu Main Road, Sir MV Layout, Park, Tindlu Gram Badanga Saptagiri Layout, Dnaneshwari Layout, Gurudarshan Layout, Venkataswamappa Layout, Nanjappa Circle and nearby areas.

Advisory for residents

The message reads: “We deeply mourn the suicide of techie Atul Subhash. His life was just as important as everyone else’s. RIP brother. We hope you finally found peace on the other side.”

This act of compassion has derived widespread attention, with people sharing the message on social media and using the hashtag #JusticeForAtulSubhash to demand accountability and pay tribute to the 34-year-old techie.

The Owner’s Inspiration

A Reddit post recounting the experience of a customer visiting the Jumboking outlet revealed the story behind this touching gesture. According to the post, the customer stopped by the franchise after a night out and was moved upon reading the message at the end of the receipt. Intrigued, the customer spoke to the outlet’s owner to understand the inspiration behind it.

The owner explained, “Not everything is about business to us. That life was important. We can’t bring him back, but at least we can put in efforts to spread his name and keep him alive in our memories.”

Nationwide Support and Reactions

The story quickly went viral, with netizens applauding the restaurant for using its platform to promote compassion and awareness. One commenter wrote, “Finally, a business using its platform to spread a positive sentiment.” Another added, “This is heartwarming. As an engineer myself, I haven’t even discussed this tragedy with my friends. It’s inspiring to see such empathy in action.”

Others expressed hope that this gesture would inspire conversations about mental health and justice. “The more we spread awareness, the better chance we have to prevent such tragedies,” one user noted.

Atul Subhash’s death has sparked outrage and grief across India, with many calling for justice and greater awareness about the challenges faced by tech professionals. This gesture by a Delhi restaurant has sparked the debate, showcasing how businesses can contribute to societal change by spreading kindness and awareness.

As per the complaint filed by both the victims, their neighbours, including women, barged into their house and dragged them out, physically assaulting them.

According to the police, the attackers accused the mother and daughter of running a prostitution racket in the area. They claimed that unrelated people frequently visited their home.

Allegations have been made suggesting that, despite repeated pleas, the police delayed responding to their grievance and providing safeguarding measures for two full days.

After an issue escalated and reached the desk of the City Police Commissioner, an FIR was lodged against three individuals. These folks are currently facing accusations under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Further investigation is underway.

(Note: This is a developing story and further details will be added.)

According to a report by The New Indian Express, General Secretary B. Govindaraja Hegde stated that the decision to close shops will result in an estimated loss of around Rs 120 crore to the state’s exchequer. “Our demands have been ignored, and as a result, we have chosen to halt liquor sales on November 20. This protest is also aimed at raising awareness of the corruption within the excise department,” he said during a media briefing.

“We are expecting 85-90 percent participation for our bandh,” Govindaraj Hegde, General Secretary of the Federation told PTI.

“Things are getting out of hand, the government is unleashing uncontrolled competition by giving new licences without any regard to the prevailing rules. We provide a business of 38,000 crores per annum in the state, but many of the dealers are complaining about not being able to sustain their business due to corruption in the department,” Hegde added.

What Karnataka State Tourism Hotel Owners’ Association have to say?

However, the Karnataka State Tourism Hotel Owners’ Association has refused to follow the Federation’s decision. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Federation president S Guruswamy and general secretary B Govindaraja reiterated their demand for the Excise Department to be merged with the Finance Department. They also denied sending a viral email that alleged a cash-for-transfer scam in the Excise Department. “The email was written by an RTI activist. It is unfortunate that this issue has taken a political turn,” Guruswamy said.

The Association also called on the chief minister to convene a meeting to resolve their issues and take action against corruption within the Excise Department.

Other demands include guaranteeing a 20% profit margin on retail liquor sales, allowing alcohol consumption in CL-2 licensee (retail shops), setting up additional counters in CL-9 licensees (bars and restaurants), and introducing provisions for alcohol takeaways. The Association claims to represent 11,500 shops and 1,000 MSIL shops across Karnataka.

According to reports, the incident took place on October 23 on the outskirts of Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur city when five people, including a woman, took the victim to a secluded spot on the city’s outskirts, where they stripped her naked, assaulted her, and strangled her.

However, despite the mortal danger, the victim kept her wits and fooled the assailants by faking her death by using breathing techniques used in Yoga meditation. Presuming she was dead, the accused then buried her in a pit and left the spot. Later, the woman said some villagers helped her to crawl out of the pit and also gave her some clothes, following which she approached the police.

A senior police official said five people, including a woman identified as Bindu and her friend named Satish Reddy who runs a detective agency in Bengaluru, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Assaulted, strangled and buried

Citing the woman’s complaint, the official said that Reddy had befriended the victim three months ago on the pretext of taking Yoga classes from her.

On October 23, Reddy showed up at her house near Dibburahalli and convinced her to accompany him on a tour of the city in his car. However, when the victim got in the car, three other men were already present the vehicle. The four accused forcibly took her to a secluded spot on the outskirts of the city, where thy allegedly stripped and assaulted her.

Giving details, the officer said the accused woman, Bindu, suspected that her husband was having an affair with the Yoga teacher and asked her friend, Satish Reddy to to keep a tab on the victim and her proximity to him. “As part of the plan, Reddy allegedly befriended the victim some three months ago on the pretext of taking Yoga classes from her and during this period, he managed to gain her confidence,” the officer revealed.

In her complaint, the victim alleged that the accused took her to a secluded spot on the outskirts of the city where she was thrashed, threatened and strangled using a cable. She claimed that she played along, pretended to be unconscious and faked her death using breathing techniques.

Later, she managed to wriggle out of the pit and with the help of some villagers, got clothes and managed to reach the police station to file a complaint, the woman claimed.

“Assuming the woman died, the accused allegedly dug a pit and covered her body with thin layers of soil because they were in a hurry and feared to be caught. But before leaving, they took away all her gold jewellery,” police said, adding that the woman has been sent a medical examination and admitted to a hospital.

Accused held

Based on her complaint, a case was registered under sections of kidnapping, attempt to murder and other appropriate sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), leading to the arrest of five people, including Reddy and Bindu, on November 6, they said.

An official said the vehicle in which the victim was kidnapped was allegedly stolen from Bengaluru, police said, adding, the victim’s jewellery has also been recovered with the arrests.

“We are trying to verify all the claims made by the victim. There were also some online money transactions between Bindu and the associates and we are investigating the money trail also,” he added.

(With PTI inputs)

The draft notification proposes to double the excise duty on strong beer to Rs 20 per bulk litre, increase the minimum billing price for beer in the state to Rs 300 per case and Additional Excise Duty (AED) to 195 per cent of the billing price or Rs 130 per bulk litre whichever is higher.

Karnataka, which already has the highest liquor prices in South India, has raised alcohol prices twice in the past two years. This proposed change would further increase costs, particularly affecting premium beer consumers.

The Beer Association of India (BAI) has raised serious concerns with the Karnataka government regarding the proposed 35% tax increase on stronger beers, warning it could make beer less affordable and lead to a significant drop in sales. The BAI estimates this could reduce the state’s revenue from beer taxes by approximately Rs 400 crore. In its letter, the association highlighted the investments of major brands like United Breweries, AB InBev, and Carlsberg in Karnataka, cautioning that the policy may prompt these companies to reconsider further expansions in the state.

The letter stated, “The proposed 35% increase in taxes on stronger beers could result in a significant drop in sales. We estimate the state’s revenue from beer taxes could decrease by Rs 400 crore if this goes forward.”

“Due to the impact on MRP, we estimate the tax revenues from the beer category may actually fall to the tune of Rs 400 crore revenue from this proposal,” said BAI.

Additionally, the BAI voiced opposition to a proposal requiring beer manufacturers to disclose sugar and malt content on labels, arguing that it could confuse consumers and impose compliance burdens, potentially discouraging business operations in Karnataka.

As discussions continue, both brewers and beer lovers in Bengaluru are watching closely to see how these potential changes will unfold.

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 29: Timing

As per BESCOM Bengaluru will witness scheduled electricity cuts from 10 in the morning to 5 in the evening on October 29 due to maintenance work at Victoria Station and KPTCL 66/11 KV ‘C’ Station.

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 29: Affected Areas

Sultan Pete, Binni Pete, Hoovina Udyan, Akkipete, Shamanna Garden, New Police Quarters, Gopalan Apartment, Balaji Complex, R.S.S. Garden, Manarthi Pete, Park We Binni Pete, Prestige Woods Apartment and surrounding areas.

Cotton Pete, Gopalan Mall, Anjanappa Garden, Gangappa Garden, Obalappa Colony, Padarayanapura, Raipur, MomimpurJantha Colony, Doreswamy Nagar, S.D. Math, Police Road, Mariyappa A. K.P.S. Math, Rifat Nagar, Mysore Road 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cross, Ranganath Colony, Hosahalli Main Road, Near Nalbandwadi, Chikka Pete Metro Station, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar.

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 27: Affected Areas

Broad Way Road, Nala Road, Connaught Road, Bamboobazar, Evening Bazaar, Cemetery Road, Queens Road, Seppings Road, Muniswamy Road, Millers Tank Road, Cox Town, Millers Road, Venkappa Road, Sultan Jigunt Road, Ali Asker Road, Old Bangalore Layout, Infantry RoadIndian Express.

New Market Road, Ali Asker Road Cross, Dhanakoti Lane and surrounding areas, R.N. 2nd Street, Chandani Chowk, Payappa Garden, Muthyalamma Koyil Street, O.P.H. Road, Broad Shah Street, Haines Road, Noha Street, Town, Police Commissioner’s Office.

Millenia, Palace Talkies, K.P.S.C.C.O.D.Chief Justice House, Congress Office, Patari Town, U.N.I., Bidarahalli, Corporate Office, Chikka Bazaar Road, Williams Town, Vishwaeshwaraiah Tower, Station Road, Millers Tank Bund Road, Park Road, Timmayya Road, Jasama Bhavan Road, Makan Compound Road.

N.P. Street, Hoysala Apartment, Bowering Hospital, R.B.I. Quarters, Edward Road, Jain Temple Road, Broad Way Road, L.H.-BSNL M.S. Building, Nehru Puram.

After completing its maintenance tasks, BESCOM has assured that power will be swiftly reinstated.

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 27: Timing

Scheduled power outages will occur from 10 in the morning to 5 in the evening on Sunday due to maintenance work at the KPTCL 66/11 KV ‘C’ Station and Victoria Station.

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 27: Affected Areas

Broad Way Road, Station Road, Queens Road, Town, Timmayya Road, Millers Road, Slaughter House and surrounding areas, Cunningham Road, Ali Asker Road, Ali Asker Road Cross, Chikka Bazaar Road, Venkappa Road, Muniswamy Road, Payappa Garden, Cemetery Road, Park Road, Nala Road, Noha Street, Chandani Chowk, Miller Tank Bund Road, Jasama Bhavan Road, Sultan Jigunt Road, Haines Road, Bamboobazar,

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 27: Affected Areas

Dhanakoti Lane and surrounding areas, Nehru Puram, Muthyalamma Koyil Street, Makan Compound Road, N.P. Street, Seppings Road, Broad Shah Street, Palace Talkies, Evening Bazaar, New Market Road, O.P.H. Road, R.N. 2nd Street, Jain Temple Road, Millenia, Bowering Hospital, Connaught Road, Edward Road, Infantry Road, Indian Express, Vishwaeshwaraiah Tower, Police Commissioner’s Office, K.S.F.C. Building, U.N.I., Millers Tank Road, Old Bangalore Layout, Williams Town, Bidarahalli,

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 27: Affected Areas

Patari Town, Cox Town, Hoysala Apartment, R.B.I. Quarters, Congress Office, L.H.-BSNL M.S. Building, Corporate Office, K.P.S.C., C.O.D. Chief Justice House, Vasanth Nagar, Dabaspet, Kallahalli, all BDA Quarters, M.E.G. Center, Kensington Road and surrounding areas, SJP Road, Otici Road, S.P. Road, Avenue Road,

Gowdown Road, Taxi Stand, Victoria Hospital Compound, Nephrology, Minto, Gastroenterology Hospital and allied hospitals, JC Road, JC Road 1st Cross, A.M. Lane, Kalasipalyah Main Road, MTB Road, Kumbara Gundi Road, Shivaji Road, City Market Complex, B.V.K. Ayyangar Road, Grain Bazaar Road, Nagarath Pete, Thigalar Pete, N.R. Road, part of Otici Road, P.C. Lane, P.P. Lane, Ousman Khan Road, Basappa Circle,

Bengaluru Power Cut Today, October 27: Affected Areas

K.R. Road, Kote Street, Patnul Pete, Old Slaughterhouse Road, Nagarath Pete Main Road, Kumbara Pete Main Road, Appurappa Lane, MBT Road, Pillappa Lane, C.R. Swamy Street, Medhar Pete, Chikka Pete, part of K.G. Road, R.T. Road, Chikka Pete Main Road, O.T. Pete, Gundopanth Street, Mamool Pete, Silver Basavanna Temple Street and surrounding areas, Obalappa Colony, R.S.S. Garden, Raipur,

Binni Pete, Padarayanapura, JJR Nagar, Gopalan Mall, Mysore Road 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cross, Momimpur, Jantha Colony, Shamanna Garden, Rifat Nagar, Ranganath Colony, Hosahalli Main Road, Park We Binni Pete, Anjanappa Garden, Doreswamy Nagar, Hoovina Udyan, New Police Quarters, S.D. Math, Cotton Pete, Akkipete, Balaji Complex, Manarthi Pete, Sultan Pete, Near Nalbandwadi, Chikka Pete Metro Station, Police Road, Gopalan Apartment, Mariyappa A. K.P.S. Math, Gangappa Garden, Bhuvaneshwari Nagar, Prestige Woods Apartment and surrounding areas.

Bengaluru Power Cut October 23: Timings

The power interruptions will affect several areas from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the evening.

Bengaluru Power Cut October 23: Affected Areas

Vikas Nagar, 8th Mile Road, Shobha Apartments, Ramaiah Layout.
Vijayalakshmi Layout, Manjunath Nagar, Narayana Layout, Havanur Barangay, Ashok Nagar, Defense Colony, Vidya Bus Stop, Soap Factory Layout, Munikondappa Layout, Kataraya Nagar, Sasuveghatta, BTS Layout, Vidya School, Siddeshwar Layout, Vidya Nagar, Kuvempu Nagar, Mahalakshmi Nagar, Reliance Fresh, Parts of Soladevanahalli, Andanappa Layout, Tarabanahalli Main Road

Bengaluru Power Cut October 23: Affected Areas

Havanur Barangay, Royal Enclave, Sidedahalli, Shesmarghatta Main Road, Partially in Vishvesharayya Layout, Bairaveshwar Circle and nearby regions
People are requested to arrange their schedules in a manner that minimises upheaval during the upcoming maintenance work.

#WATCH | Karnataka: Rescue operation underway after an under-construction building collapsed in the Horamavu Agara area in the eastern part of Bengaluru.

5 people are currently trapped, one of them died, 14 were rescued and 5 are still missing. pic.twitter.com/8IPUFq77il

— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2024

A rescue operation was underway to rescue and locate the missing persons.

Chilling video shows under-construction building in Bengaluru collapse like a pack of cards

One worker was killed in the building collapse that occurred in Babusapalya, #Bengaluru on Tuesday amid rains. 14 were rescued. Five are still missing. pic.twitter.com/T2n8s3b9jO

— Yamini Chincholi (@YaminiChincholi) October 22, 2024

“A total of 20 people were there. Seven of our workers were on site, and one of them has died. The building collapsed due to heavy rainfall. It was a seven-story building. Three others have been injured and hospitalized,” said an eyewitness.

“We are labourers working here. When we were on a lunch break at around 1.00 pm, we heard a loud sound, and the building started shaking. A man who was working inside the building died on the spot,” another eyewitness, Mehfoos, recounted.

Further details are awaited.

(Note: This is a developing story and further details will be added.)

“The government seems to be at the mercy of Muslims”, Yatnal said.

“They are claiming 16,000 acres in Vijayapur alone and 6.5 lakh acres across Karnataka. If this continues, how much more land will be claimed across the country?” he asked expressing outrage over the state government’s handling of the situation, stating that the government seems to be at the mercy of Muslims.

Yatnal further said that if such land concessions continue, “there will be two Pakistans in the country.” He further criticized the demands for land and resources, suggesting that even the Vidhana Soudha and a new parliament might be asked for next.

Yatnal went back into history as he referred to the Mughals as “thieves” and claimed that Afghan invaders and converts, such as Tipu Sultan and Adil Shahi had no place in India’s history.

“Our history is rooted in figures like Lord Rama and the Pandavas, not in those who forced conversions,” he said as he further accused figures like Tipu Sultan, Adil Shahi, and Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan of being a part of the legacy of forced conversions in India.

Yatnal did not spare Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the current state of the country, alleging that their policies contributed to its downfall.

Bengaluru Rains: Waterlogging And Traffic Jams

Incessant downpours lashed Bengaluru since morning, resulting in severe waterlogging and traffic snarls on major areas and roads. As per the weather department, the silicon city is very likely to witness heavy downpour on October 16. The showers will also impact surrounding districts such as Ramanagara, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, lasting through October 17.

Bengaluru Rains: Schools Closed, Government Colleges To Remain Open

Even as the rain continues to pour, the government-run college has announced that it will stay open, but it will put in place specific rules for post-graduate, diploma and ITI courses to keep students safe. Apart from this, most educational institutions have received directions to switch to virtual learning for higher grades. Moreover, remember to mark your calendars for Thursday, October 17, as the state government will be observing a holiday for Valmiki Jayanti. In related news, the civic body of Bengaluru has set up a flood management squad to lend a hand during emergencies. While on the topic of rainfall, Chowdeswari Nagar in Bengaluru saw the highest downpour, registering 73.5 mm, closely followed by Jakkur area with a rainfall of 65.5 mm.

Tamil Nadu Rain Fury

Tamil Nadu, much like Bengaluru, is bracing for potentially heavy rainfall. Chief Minister MK Stalin made an announcement for an unscheduled holiday for educational institutions including schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpattu districts for October 15. The decision comes after evaluating the predictions from the Indian Meteorological Department, which anticipates the rain to intensify over the next few days. Predictions suggest that Tamil Nadu’s northern regions, Puducherry, and the southern parts of Andhra Pradesh might witness a shift in the low-pressure system.

According to reports, the incident took place at the Koppal District Maternity and Children’s Hospital, where a woman, identified as Gauri, was admitted on September 23.

Gaur claimed that the hospital authorities had informed her that she had given birth to a baby girl and the infant was shifted to the hospital’s intensive care unit (NICU) due to low birth-weight.

However, over a week later, the hospital staff told them that the baby had died and handed them the body of an infant boy, when initially Gauri had been informed that she had delivered a girl.

Gauri said she and the family were in utter when they discovered that the deceased child was a boy, while they (hospital staff) had told them she had birthed a girl.

“They told us it as a baby girl. Now they have given us a dead boy. We want our child back,” Gauri told reporters while accusing the hospital authorities of swapping her girl child with a dead one.

Meanwhile, responding to the allegations, the hospital authorities acknowledged that there may have been a mistake in informing the mother about the newborn’s gender at birth, but denied accusations of any wrongdoing.

A hospital official said the “mix-up” could have taken place when the newborn was transferred between different department, adding that a thorough investigation is being conducted in the matter.

“Savarkar was a ‘Chitpavan Brahmin’, but used to eat meat. He was a meat-eater and he was not against cow slaughter. He was modern in a way,” the Congress minister claimed.

“Some say that he used to eat beef as well. As a Brahmin, he used to eat meat and was openly propagating eating meat. So he had that thinking,” Rao claimed further.

#WATCH | Bengaluru: At the release of Kannada version of “Gandhi’s Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of India” on 2nd Oct, Karnataka Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao says, “Savarkar was not against cow slaughter. He was a Chitpavan Brahmin but he was a non-veg eater.… pic.twitter.com/y6o5RoCZll

— ANI (@ANI) October 3, 2024

The Congress minister also asserted that Savarkar’s views were opposed to that of Mahatma Gandhi, who had a democratic mindset while the former was a fundamentalist.

“Mahatma Gandhi was a vegetarian and had a firm faith in Hinduism, but his actions were different. He was a democratic person.”

The minister also compared Savarkar to Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah as “another extreme”, asserting that before becoming a hardcore Islamist, Jinnah used to eat pork and drink wine, both of which are forbidden in Islam.

“Jinnah was another extreme. He was a hardcore Islamist believer. He used to drink wine and it is said that he used to eat pork as well but he became a Muslim icon after the two-nation theory and politics. But Jinnah was not a fundamentalist but Savarkar was a fundamentalist,” he said.

BJP slams Congress for ‘targeting Hindus’

Meanwhile, BJP reacted to Rao’s controversial comments, alleging that the Congress has a habit of targeting Hindus every chance they get.

“Congress’ God is Tipu Sultan. Why are you Congress people always targeting Hindus? Why not Muslims? The Congress mindset is like this. Hindus have given a verdict in the elections. Every Hindu will teach them a lesson,” BJP leader R Ashok said.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also lashed out at the Congress, claiming that the trend of “defaming” Savarkar was started by Rahul Gandhi and others from the grand-old party are now pushing the same narrative.

“These people do not know anything about Savarkar. They insult him (Savarkar) again and again. Savarkar ji has expressed his views on cows very well. He has said that the cow helps the farmer from his birth till his death, hence we have given the status of a god to the cow,” Fadnavis said.

‘Savarkar was an atheist’

Meanwhile, following the backlash over his remarks, Dinesh Gundu Rao issued a clarification on the matter, stating that his comments were meant to highlight the contrast between Savarkar and (Mahatma) Gandhi, claiming that the former was an atheist, while the latter was a “deeply religious” person.

VIDEO | Amid the ongoing controversy over his Gandhi-Savarkar remarks, Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao (@dineshgrao) said: “It was a discussion on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and it was a very healthy discussion that we had, and it was basically the observations of… pic.twitter.com/7j7v8tYFDa

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 3, 2024

“It was a discussion on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and it was a very healthy discussion that we had, and it was basically the observations of contrast between Mahatma Gandhi and Savarkar. However Mahatma Gandhi was a deeply religious man and how Savarkar was an atheist; how Mahatma Gandhi was vegetarian and believed in religion while Savarkar was a non-vegetarian and a modernist; and how Gandhi was a democratic person while Savarkar was a fundamentalist… he believed the concept of Hindu Rashtra and anything beyond that was not acceptable to him,” the Minister told news agency PTI.