Chamarajanagar: A youth, who was on his way to attend the last rites of his grandfather, was killed in a road accident near Panyadahundi Cross in the taluk yesterday.

The deceased has been identified as Nitish Poojary, a native of Udupi, who was pursuing his second year Medical course at Chamarajanagar Medical College.

Following the death of his grandfather, Nitish was proceeding to Udupi on his bike when he lost control of the two-wheeler and fell, resulting in Nitish sustaining serious injuries and breathing his last on the spot.

Chamarajanagar Traffic Police have registered a case.

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Inspired by PM’s words on radio, this M.Tech degree holder started her own organic fertiliser unit

Mysore/Mysuru: Addressing the nation in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the collective efforts of individuals, including Varsha from Chamarajanagar, who is actively involved in producing organic fertilisers.

Modi shared the example of Varsha of Ummathuru village in Chamarajanagar district. She has been making significant contributions to the field of organic farming by producing fertilisers from the trunk or stem of banana plants. PM Modi acknowledged her efforts, stating, “Varsha of Chamarajanagar, inspired by ‘Mann Ki Baat’, had started the work of making organic fertilisers from banana stem.”

The Prime Minister emphasised the impact of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in inspiring collective efforts, citing examples like Varsha’s initiative. He mentioned, “There are many more examples that show how people got inspired and started their own enterprise.” Varsha, motivated by an episode of the programme, initiated the production of organic fertilisers, creating employment opportunities for others.

Edible items too

At Ummathuru village, Varsha operates a small-scale eco-friendly enterprise named Aakruthi Eco-Friendly Enterprises. She utilises local materials, including banana stem fibre, to craft a diverse range of handicrafts, such as carpets, belts, mats, bags, yoga mats and table mats along with organic fertilisers. In addition to handicrafts, Varsha also produces edible items like pickles, juice and candies.

Varsha has not only established her business with a zero-waste management approach to banana plants post-harvest but has also created employment opportunities for many individuals. Her products are available for sale online through various platforms, including e-commerce websites.

Generating employment

Inspired by the aspects highlighted by PM Modi in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme two years ago, Varsha, who holds an M. Tech degree from Oxford College of Engineering in Bengaluru, initiated her venture with the support of her husband Srikantaswamy, an employee of an IT company in Mysuru.

Despite the responsibilities of supporting her school-going children, Varsha travels more than 45 km from her house in Mysuru to her plantation to take care of her business. Her work is characterised by a profound connection to nature, and the Prime Minister commended her inspiring story and its positive impact on others. “I never expected the PM to mention my name. It is an honour and deeply motivating. I started this as a small unit and now I provide employment to two men and five women,” she said.

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She had delivered a baby boy 11 days back

Chamarajanagar: A Police Constable allegedly murdered his wife at her parents’ house in Kolathur village of Hosakote taluk in Bengaluru Rural district.

The woman had delivered a baby boy just 11 days back and was in her parents’ house for post-delivery care.

While the deceased has been identified as Pratibha, the accused is Kishore, who is serving as a Police Constable at Chamarajanagar.

Kishore had married Pratibha a year ago and had doubts on her, which is said to be the reason for the murder.

Frequent fights began within a year of their marriage and the family members had advised them to lead a normal life many times.

Pratibha, who had delivered a baby boy, had come to her parents’ house and Kishore, in the guise of seeing the baby, had come to the house.

Finding Pratibha alone, Kishore allegedly suffocated her to death and tried to make it look like a suicide by tying a saree to the fan. But Pratibha’s parents came to the house suddenly, which shocked Kishore, who fled from the house.

It is learnt that Kishore, after murdering his wife, went to Kolar where he tried to commit suicide by consuming poison. Kishore is now undergoing treatment at an ICU in a private hospital at Kolar.

Hosakote Police, who have registered a case in this regard, are investigating.

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Chamarajanagar: Chamarajanagar BJP MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad who will be completing 50 years in politics on Mar. 17, 2024 will be announcing his retirement from active politics on the same day.

This was announced by MP Prasad himself while speaking to media persons here yesterday.

“I am satisfied with my career in politics all these years. I will neither issue any political statements henceforth nor campaign on behalf of any political party during elections. I will also not propose any names from our family to contest the forthcoming elections,” affirmed Prasad.

Reacting to a query on BJP-JD(S) alliance, MP Prasad said that “It’s not fair to harp on the alliance, as it is left for the people to decide. When the bloc of 30 Opposition parties led by Congress can come together in the name of I.N.D.I.A, what’s wrong in these two (BJP-JDS) joining hands,” asked Prasad.

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Chamarajanagar: Chief Minister Siddharamaiah has assured of Government job to a family member of each of the 36 COVID patients, who allegedly died for want of oxygen at Chamarajanagar District Hospital in May 2021 after considering it as a special case. The CM gave this assurance at the progress review meeting held at the ZP Hall in Chamarajanagar recently when Kollegal MLA  A.R. Krishnamurthy raised the issue.

Chamarajanagar Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Nag said that the family members of 13 COVID victims have been paid Rs.5 lakh each while the family members of 11 other victims have been paid Rs.2 lakh each as compensation. CM Siddharamaiah, who intervened, questioned what action has been taken on the promise of providing Government job to a family member of each of the victims as promised by the Congress then, to which the District In-charge Secretary Manjunath Prasad said that details regarding educational qualifications of the family members have been gathered  and a search has been carried out on the jobs available in Departments in accordance with their qualification.

Subsequently, preparations are being made on sending a proposal to the Government in this regard, he added.

Social Welfare Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa said Government jobs can be provided considering it as a special case. Acknowledging the Minister’s suggestion, CM Siddharamaiah announced that the Government will consider it as a special case and a Government job would be provided to a family member of each of the 36 victims.

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Chamarajanagar: Holding mass prayers for good rains is nothing new in India. People have done everything from frog weddings to dog weddings to please rain gods.

Experiencing drought-like conditions across the State and at the same time forced to comply with the orders of the Courts and water regulatory authorities to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah is seeking divine intervention for good rains.

During his visit to the revered Male Mahadeshwara Hill in Chamarajanagar this morning, Siddharamaiah said that he sought the blessings of Male Mahadeshwara Swamy for bountiful rains. “I have sincerely prayed for the Lord’s intervention to enable the State to tide over the crisis,” the CM told reporters. This move comes amidst growing concerns over water scarcity and agricultural challenges in the region.

Siddharamaiah, who returned to power for a second term, visited Male Mahadeshwara Hill, a prominent pilgrimage site known for its spiritual significance. After having darshan of Mahadeshwara Swamy, the CM expressed his concerns and hopes for the State’s well-being.

When asked about the Government’s stance on release of water, he said, “The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has issued an order to release 3,000 cusecs of water. Currently, we are facing a water shortage crisis, and we have already sought legal advice on this matter. We intend to question this decision in the Supreme Court.”

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One person who first shared the Q-paper in PDF format taken into custody

Mysore/Mysuru: In a major breakthrough in the case of question paper sales racket at Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysuru, the City Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have traced the source of question paper leak to Chamarajanagar Exam Centre.

During investigation, CCB personnel have unearthed that, it was from Chamarajanagar Exam Centre that the paper of ‘Computer in Business’ subject in PDF format was shared on WhatsApp among the students. The investigators who traced the source of leak through technical investigation, later visited Chamarajanagar Exam Centre yesterday and also took the person who had sent the question paper on WhatsApp into their custody, besides seizing the documents.

It has also emerged during the probe that, after the paper was leaked from Chamarajanagar Centre, the PDF format of the paper was also leaked from Mangaluru Study Centre. Acting on the clues gathered on the basis of call detail records of cell phone, the investigators have taken several persons related to the case into their custody and inquiring them.

As is the procedure, barring  the Registrar (Evaluation) of KSOU, who is responsible to conduct the exams of all Degree, Post-Graduate and Diploma courses, along with preparing the question papers, evaluation and announcement of results, the role of Vice-Chancellor, Registrar (Administration) and Dean is restricted to just supervising the process.

Following this, it has become clear for CCB men during the course of preliminary investigation that the question paper couldn’t have been shared on WhatsApp without coming to the notice of Registrar (Evaluation), who is authorised to rope in the senior Professors to prepare the question paper.

As the probe gets deeper with the use of technology, it is learnt that, the question papers were sold extensively by using out-sourced and temporary staff of KSOU. It is suspected that, including the question paper of  ‘Computer in Business’ subject, the question papers of all other Degree courses, of all the years have also been sold.

Following the unravelling of the scam, some of the persons have deleted WhatsApp chats, while some others have destroyed their mobile SIM cards.

CCB sleuths visited the Administrative Office, Pareeksha Bhavan and Registrar (Evaluation) Office at Muktagangothri campus of KSOU yesterday too and collected the information related to exam process, those related to preparation of question papers, printing press, conditions agreed upon to maintain secrecy and related information.

CCB Officers will be visiting Mangaluru tomorrow (Sept. 25), where they will be inspecting Regional Centre there.

The CCB is preparing to take suspects into custody with the help of local Police and inquire them, it is said.

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Kollegal: A man and his wife, Arul Selvam and Lanli, residing in Jakkalli village of Kollegal in Chamarajanagar, have appealed to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) for euthanasia (mercy death) due to distress caused by his mother’s harassment and eviction demands.

Arul and Lanli, who fell in love and married five years ago, have two children. Arul had obtained his mother Moksharani’s consent to construct a house on her land after taking out a loan.

However, recent events have taken a distressing turn as Moksharani asked them to vacate the house and even filed a Police complaint against them. The Police issued a deadline of Sept. 10 for them to leave the premises.

Overwhelmed by this situation, Arul and Lanli have written a letter addressed to the DC, expressing their desire for euthanasia.

In response, Kollegal Rural Sub-Inspector Ganesh, in a statement to Star of Mysore, asserted that no one had approached the Police regarding this matter. Furthermore, he clarified that the Police had never issued any eviction notices. The couple’s plea for mercy death only came to light through media reports, he added.

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Mysore/Mysuru: A woman has been allegedly cheated of Rs. 10 lakh after paying advance towards a land deal at Gundlupet taluk in Chamarajanagar district.

S.S. Lakhmi, aged 55 years and resident of Sharadadevi Nagar in the city is that woman. In her complaint to Saraswatipuram Police Station, Lakshmi has accused Ashwini who was previously working at Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mysuru, her husband Yatish Madhu and brother Amitraj of cheating her.

The accused had offered to sell two acres of total six acres and 38 guntas of land at Survey No. 534/1 at Somanahalli, Begur hobli, Gundlupet taluk, for Rs. 14 lakh to Lakshmi. They had even collected Rs. 10 lakh advance from the victim, besides signing a sale agreement. Even though the victim was ready to pay the remaining amount, the accused were buying time to complete the process towards registering the land in her name.

Recently, when Lakshmi enquired about the land, it came to light that, the accused had sold the same land to one K. M. Leelavathi of Bengaluru, a day after entering into a sale agreement with her.

Saraswatipuram Police are investigating the case.

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Celebrated Sri Lankan off-spinner to invest Rs. 400 crore; KIADB allots 46.30-acre land

Chamarajanagar: Sri Lanka’s cricket icon and celebrated off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan is embarking on a fresh journey as an entrepreneur in the industrial sector. Transitioning from his legendary cricket career, Muralitharan is now venturing into the business realm by establishing a soft drink manufacturing facility in Chamarajanagar — Muthiah Beverage and Confectionery Private Limited.

Known for his skills on the cricket field, Muralitharan’s new endeavour is poised to make a noteworthy impact on the local industrial landscape. His soft drink factory will be located in the Badanaguppe-Kellambally Industrial Zone of Chamarajanagar, spanning an extensive 46-acre area.

With all necessary Government formalities completed, construction of the factory has commenced. Operating under the name Muthiah Beverages, the brand will be responsible for producing a range of soft drinks, refreshing beverages and flavoured milk in convenient cans. It also will produce chocolates. The production of these non-alcoholic beverages will contribute to Chamarajanagar’s growth, fostering a renewed phase of development for the region.

A substantial investment exceeding Rs. 250 crore (up to Rs. 400 crore) has been allocated for this ambitious project, signifying a significant financial commitment to the local community. Notably, this initiative is anticipated to create employment opportunities for 500-800 local residents, while also indirectly benefiting numerous others through the factory’s operations.

To provide local employment

The establishment of this factory holds the potential to elevate Chamarajanagar as a hub for industry and innovation, complemented by concurrent projects such as the eco-friendly paint factory being constructed by the Birla Group. Muralitharan bought the land six months ago from the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).

Interestingly, Muralitharan’s transition to the industrial sector follows a trend of cricket luminaries diversifying their interests in Karnataka. Former Indian cricketer and the present President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Roger Binny, has ventured into agriculture by acquiring land in Gundlupet.

Factory sources said that the construction of the Muthiah Beverages unit will be completed in nine months. According to Deputy Director of District Industries Centre, Muthiah Beverages will change the face of the industrial scene in Chamarajanagar and will provide employment to local population.

Muralitharan’s expansion into industrial entrepreneurship is facilitated through collaboration with Ceylon Beverage Can (Pvt.) Ltd., from Sri Lanka in the realm of soft drink production. The Karnataka Government has granted a lease for the expansive 46.30-acre tract of land, showcasing the recognition of Muralitharan’s cricketing excellence. Muralitharan’s unparalleled cricketing achievements, including an astounding record of 800 wickets in 133 Test matches, underscore his remarkable contributions to the sport. As he embarks on this business journey, his venture holds the promise of not only economic growth but also the diversification and progress of Chamarajanagar.

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