BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Friday orally told the Advocate General (AG) that authorities can take any action as per law against aggregators offering bike taxi services on their platform. The court's words came after the AG's complaint that the aggregators are offering bike taxi services, although the court did not give such liberty. The court also told the AG K Shashikiran Shetty that they should not harass individual bike taxi owners or drivers. A division bench of Chief Justice Vib

BENGALURU: The grant of parole is a valuable right of a convict, which would also be a right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. It would require police authorities to apply their mind properly and pass a reasoned order on a case-to-case basis, rather than reproducing the same grounds in all reports submitted to prison authorities, the Karnataka High Court said, directing the Director General of Police to look into the matter and take steps to impart training to all police officers co

BENGALURU: A 10-year-old girl died on the spot after she was run over by a BMTC bus on Kogilu Main Road near Maruthinagar under Yelahanka traffic police station limits at 8.20 am on Thursday. The girl was riding pillion with her mother and younger sister on a scooter. Both the mother and her two minor children fell on the road after the scooter skidded. The girl came under the rear wheels of the BMTC bus from behind. This is the fourth accident involving a BMTC bus in the last nine days. The vic

BENGALURU: The High Court of Karnataka has asked the state-run transport corporation to formulate a humane policy to consider appointments on compassionate grounds in cases where the applicants have crossed the upper age limit. The court passed an order asking North West Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) to formulate the policy in the best interests of its employees and their family members if they (employees) die in harness. Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed the order, directing

BENGALURU: Senior Cardiologist and Bengaluru Rural MP Dr CN Manjunath has requested Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to exempt customs duty on imported immunotherapy drugs and radiotherapy equipment, citing the high cost of advanced cancer treatment and its inaccessibility for patients from economically weaker sections. In a letter to the minister, Dr Manjunath pointed out that while chemotherapy drugs already enjoy customs duty exemptions, immunotherapy drugs and radiotherapy machines,

BENGALURU: App-based transport platforms Uber, Rapido and Ola have resumed bike taxi services in Bengaluru after a two-month ban. Operations were suspended after the state government imposed a ban on June 16, which led to vehicle seizures and penalties. Operations were resumed a day after the Karnataka High Court adjourned hearings on related appeals to September 22, directing the government to review the matter on Wednesday. Following resumption of app-based bike services, the Federation of Kar

BENGALURU: We need support from the local administration to strictly enforce and implement the ban on sale, storage and manufacture of Plaster of Paris idols, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman and MLA MP Narendra Swamy said. He said there is a 70 per cent staff crunch in the Board, due to which it is becoming difficult to implement the ban. Swamy said a petition was filed before the Karnataka High Court to highlight the district administrations role in enforcing a ban on P

BENGALURU: The Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was passed in the Legislative Council on Thursday. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, tabled the bill. The Upper House passed it after a brief discussion. The bill was passed in the Assembly a few days ago. Speaking after tabling the bill, Shivakumar said that the amendment clarifies that the Greater Bengaluru Authority will not interfere in the functioning of the corporation

BENGALURU: South United Football Club (SUFC) opened a new residential academy at its premises in RBANM Grounds, on Thursday. The academy looks to provide high-performance football training and development to children and youngsters from underprivileged backgrounds, including Optimised Performance Training (OPT), an unprecedented system that provides holistic development at an individual level, catering to every childs needs and according to their playing position. From a total pool of 4,600 chil

BENGALURU: The All India Democratic Students Organization (AIDSO) on Thursday concluded its 50-lakh signature campaign at Freedom Park, demanding the preservation of government schools. The signatures collected from across Karnataka were handed over to Primary Education Department Director Anita Nazare, along with a memorandum listing shortages of teachers and infrastructure. The government is favouring private schools and offloading its burden by closing government schools. This is ruining the

BENGALURU: Ahead of the Gauri-Ganesha festival, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued a set of guidelines on Wednesday, which includes a complete ban on the use of chemical paints, thermocol, and plaster of Paris (PoP) idols. Idols found to be made with any of the aforementioned items will be seized and disposed of, and criminal cases will be filed against individuals found responsible, BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao M said. The order follows discussions held on August 5. T

Boeing announced the winners of its 10th annual Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition on Tuesday, with the grand finale being held in Bengaluru. The team from Nitte Mahalinga College, Mysuru, comprising Prajwal BT, Ashik, Pradyumna Bhat, and Adarsh HN, was declared the winner. This year, the competition saw participation from more than 1,400 students representing 432 institutions across India. The zonal rounds of the competition were held at IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Mad

BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has begun installing steel barricades on platforms at the RV Road Interchange Metro Station to improve passenger safety. The station connects the Green Line with the recently inaugurated Yellow Line. The installation of barricades at the RV Road Interchange Station is underway, and so far, on one side, the barricades have been almost completely installed. The installation for the station will be completed in the next two to three da

BENGALURU: Citing delay in completion of road repair work across the city has reduced the income of hotels, bars and restaurants by 50 per cent, the Bangalore Hotels Association has written to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, urging him to ensure that work is completed at the earliest. Referring to the work, particularly on Seetha Circle Road, Dr Rajkumar Road, Mosque Road, Platform Road (Seshadripuram) and Mission Road, the association demanded that if work is not completed within the deadl

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government proposes to bring a stringent Act to effectively control crowds, and manage mass gatherings at events. The Karnataka Crowd Control (managing crowds at events and place of gathering) Bill, 2025, was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday to effectively control crowds and manage mass gatherings at events and functions, to prevent unlawful gatherings and provide punishment for offences. It is a fallout of 11 deaths in the stampede at M Chinnaswamy Stadiu

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumars recent reply to BJP MLC CT Ravi revealed that 32.29 hectares (79.79 acres) of land will be acquired for the proposed 16.7-km Tunnel Road Project (TRP) between Hebbal and Silk Board. An expert analysis has compared this land requirement with the length of regular surface roads that could be built using the same area. Explaining the comparison, Rajkumar Dugar, founder of Citizens for Citizens, said the land to be acquired for the tunnel road could ins

BENGALURU: With cases of children being involved in road accidents while crossing roads on the rise, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesh has instructed the School Education Department to conduct mandatory awareness programmes on traffic safety rules in all schools. He was speaking while chairing the District Road Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday at the Urban District Commissioners office, which was attended by officials from the Department of School Education, National Highways

BENGALURU: A 59-year-old habitual thief arrested on charges of committing theft at temples and in anganwadi in Channapatna taluk of Bengaluru South district (Ramanagara) was found dead in the washroom of the MK Doddi police station on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Ramesh, a native of Dundanahalli of Maddur in Mandya. Ramesh was found hanging from the knob of the washroom door. He had used his panche (dhoti) to take the extreme step. The body was shifted to Channapatna Government

BENGALURU: While laws like the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 mandate that any diversion of forest land for non-forest use requires prior approval from the Central Government, illegal diversion still occurs in some areas, leading to degradation and loss of forest cover, said the Karnataka High Court while directing the State government to create a central integrated geospatial platform to maintain the forest land records. The integrated platform should combine the data of all types of lands, in

Id sit alone and watch your light, my only friend through teenage nights, and everything I had to know, I heard it on my radio, these lines crooned by Freddie Mercury in the hit classic Radio Ga Ga , captured the relationship that young people growing up in the golden age of radio shared with it. Many of those young people, much older now, still hang on to this intimate and nostalgic relationship, refusing to let it be relegated to the past. My Radio My Life , an award-winning documentary set to

Driven by passion and persistence, actor Harini has quietly carved her path in the film industry with hits like Lover , Chilli Chicken , and Pathinettam Padi . With her latest release, Vritta , she reaffirms her identity as a multilingual performer. In the psychological thriller, directed by Likith Kumar, Harini plays the role of the protagonists old flame. Its a small role, but a crucial one. Im a catalyst in the storys emotional arc, she shares with the excitement of marking a space in the Kan

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday passed the Greater Bengaluru Governance (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to clarify that the newly formed Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) would not interfere with the functioning of the proposed five new corporations. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said that though the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act was passed, some people filed a PIL in the court. Hence, this amendment has been brought, stressing t

BENGALURU: Bengalurus plogging volunteers and the Horticulture Department reported a sharp decline in litter during the 12-day Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Garden that concluded on Monday, which saw a footfall of around 6.24 lakh visitors. Members of the Indian Ploggers Army, who combine jogging with picking up litter, reported that during the peak days of the show, August 15 to 17, they collected only about four sacks of dry waste per day, weighing roughly 6 to 8 kg each. I

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday passed The Karnataka State Universities (amendment) Bill, 2025, to rename Bengaluru City University (BCU) after former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Tabling the bill for a debate, Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar said that given the contributions of Dr Singh to the countrys development through his policies, the Karnataka government has been paying tribute to the former PM and has decided to rename BCU after him. But Leader of Opposition in

BENGALURU: Chief Commissioner of BBMP Maheshwar Rao on Tuesday instructed palike officials to speed up pothole-filling work across the city. Speaking at a workshop for engineers, Rao told theofficials to ensure quality in pothole-filling work. Although pothole-filling work is done regularly, rain posed a big challenge to the palike,he said. He directed the officials to use cold mix and ecofix material to fill potholes and deploy jet patcher machines where necessary. The officials should strictly

BENGALURU: The recently approved Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, 2024 (GBGA), got a score of 3.4 on 10 from Janaagraha, a civil society group, on effective governance, said the report released on Tuesday. For the assessment, Janaagraha, compared the GBGA with the Brand Bengaluru Committee- GBG Bill, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Act 202, and the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976. The teams analysed the GBGA on 33 parameters and noted that it scored barely half as effec

BENGALURU: The Electronics City police arrested two Africans, including a woman, for allegedly peddling narcotics in the city. The police seized 2.15 kg of MDMA crystals worth Rs 5 crore from them. The accused were identified as Joel Kabong (28), a Congo national and a resident of Hulimavu, who came to India in 2013 on a student visa, and his friend Joy Sunday (22), who arrived three years ago on a student visa. According to the police, based on a tip-off on August 15, Kabong was caught near Bet

BENGALURU: The High Court of Karnataka has upheld the termination of service of a junior officer at Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) for suppressing information that he was dismissed while working at a cooperative society for misusing funds, prior to his appointment at KSDL. Adivision bench headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru dismissed the appeal filed by BR Chaluvaraj from Mandya, questioning the single judges order of February 12. The single judge dismissed the petition filed by

BENGALURU: In a dramatic incident, a 38-year-old businessman fought off an armed intruder in his HSR Layout duplex, fending him off with a baseball bat for nearly 40 minutes before the intruder fled. The incident occurred between 11 pm on Wednesday and 2 am on Thursday at the residence of T Ajith Kumar Reddy, a resident of HSR Layout, 2nd Sector. The accused, later identified as Narasimhalu (50), also a resident of HSR Layout, was arrested on Saturday after the police tracked him down using a ca

In the heart of Bengaluru, unfolds a new chapter for book lovers and book collectors alike The Book Hunters of Bengaluru, an up and coming bibliophile society, which is on a mission to unite readers, collectors, and scholars, alike, in their shared passion for the written word. The club recently held its first meeting at Bookworm, Church Street. The event witnessed personalities, including writer and book collector VR Ferose, artist and sculptor Dimpy Menon and cricket writer Suresh Menon in at

Snuggled in a quiet corner of Domlur lies a house filled with nostalgia that beckons music enthusiasts. With a passion for vinyl records, A Murugan, its owner, has curated a treasure trove of old movies, music, and related collections, transporting visitors back to the past, when music was a vibrant force shaping culture and society. His journey with vinyl began organically, thanks to his father, a music enthusiast, who owned a record player and an impressively vast collection of records. He own

On her seventh birthday, Reyah asks the Sun and the Moon to make her wish come true. Unlike most kids who wish for toys or treats, Reyahs wish is for her one-year-old brother, Neil, who has a hearing disability, to be able to hear the beautiful sounds I can hear. I dont know who is more important among you two, but whoever it is, please make my wish come true, she declares. This is the premise of Vinita Singh Shettys debut childrens book, Reyah and the Cosmic Wish (Westland Books; `199), which e

BENGALURU: The death toll in the Wilson Garden cylinder blast rose to three after a woman and her eight-year-old daughter succumbed to injuries on Monday.On Monday, Kasturamma (30), a domestic worker, and her daughter Kayal (8), both natives of Tamil Nadu, died while undergoing treatment. The blast, which occurred at the house of Kasturamma on Friday at Chinnaiahnapalya Colony had left 11 people injured and damaged the roofs of several neighbouring houses. Mubarak (10), one of the injured, had d

BENGALURU: Work on junction improvement at CNR Rao Circle near the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has come to a halt, due to multiple reasons, one being the opposition from some of the staffers from the educational institution. The issue has also led to a conflict of opinions in the IISc, where some professors and researchers have raised alarms with the institutes director. It is also alleged that there is a request from the institutes director to halt and take a relook before executing the

BENGALURU: The much-awaited 700-metre loop at Hebbal Flyover was inaugurated by Chief Minster Siddaramaiah on Monday, offering relief to commuters navigating one of the citys most congested junctions. The new ramp, built by the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) at a cost of Rs 80 crore, is expected to cut congestion by nearly 30%. The Hebbal junction, where National Highway (NH) 44 meets the Outer Ring Road (ORR), is a crucial intersection for traffic from Tumakuru in the west, KR Puram in t

BENGALURU: Migrant labourers from Bihar who find their earnings in Bengaluru are anxious about the Election Commissions Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Many are unaware of the process, while others fear that failing to complete it could affect the rations and welfare benefits their families depend on back home. According to SIR, if a name is missing, the burden is on the voter to file two forms with supporting documents before September 1. Many migrants said they were unawar

For those who grew up in the 80s and 90s, swiping through memories meant flipping through photo albums, each page holding a slice of life, developed from film rolls and placed behind a carefully sealed plastic sleeve. Before the advent of high-resolution camera cell phones and instant prints, film photography was a slower, more deliberate process, with only a few owning a camera. Today, rekindling this old passion, film photography and vintage cameras are making a quiet but bold comeback. Whethe

I feel great. The hard court is my surface, so I think I can go really deep into the tournament, says 18-year-old tennis player Kriish Tyagi, confident ahead of the US Open, where he is set to compete in the juniors category. Preparation has been intense at Harsha Lingappa Tennis Academy near Sarjapur Road, where hes been practising all morning. I get up at five in the morning, stretch for an hour, eat some breakfast, and leave for the academy. Here, I start with my tennis for three to four hour

BENGALURU: The Nagarathpete fire tragedy that killed five people has brought to the fore again the issue of fire safety in congested areas. Experts opined that demolishing buildings or widening narrow roads in such areas is not a feasible solution. Precautionary measure and stricter enforcement of fire safety norms is needed to prevent such tragedies, many said. Nagarathpete and surrounding areas like Cottonpet, and Balepet are dotted with multi-storey structures that often violate fire safety n

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday directed officials to identify unsafe and unscientifically built structures in Bengaluru, issue notices to negligent owners and file criminal cases against them. Shivakumar visited Rajanna Lane in Nagarathpete, where five people, including two children, died in a fire mishap due to a suspected short-circuit in a four-storey building that was constructed in violation of fire safety norms. After inspecting the spot with BBMP Chief Commission

BENGALURU: Halasuru Gate police arrested two building owners in connection with the death of five people, including a couple and their two children, in Saturdays fire mishap. The owners had allegedly constructing a four-storey building unscientifically, in violation of fire and other safety norms. The accused are Balakrishnayya Shetty and Sandeep Shetty, both friends and natives of Mangaluru. The fire broke out in a building located on Rajanna Lane, Nagarathpet, around 3am Saturday. At least 12

BENGALURU: Doddabommasandra and Rachenahalli lakes in Bengaluru have been chosen for installing floating photovoltaic (FPV) panels to generate electricity. The panels will occupy around 10 per cent of these two lakes and are expected to generate 20 megawatt power. The project got the nod from Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) and the panels will be installed by Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL), revealed answers by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivaku

BENGALURU: An International Foreign Education Fair was organised by Karnataka Vocational Training and Skill Development Corporation (KVTSDC) in Bengaluru on Sunday. Over 3,000 students attended the event, and were met by representatives from higher education institutes from across the globe. The intention of the State Government is to give the students better access and firsthand exposure to the world, so they are open to make their choices. It is heartening to know that the parents and students

BENGALURU: While the number of people using carpooling has increased since the bike taxi ban, the State Transport Department has not issued clear guidelines for their operations. The department, which announced a ban on car pooling in 2023 and then reverted, was supposed to come out with guidelines immediately, but nearly two years have passed, awaiting guidelines. It was in October 2023 that the department announced a ban on carpooling services that are offered through mobile apps. The rigid op

BENGALURU: As Bengaluru prepares for its longest tunnel road project between Hebbal and Silk Board (North-South tunnel), environmental experts warn that ignoring a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) could expose the city to geological risks, water loss and safety concerns. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had commissioned Altinok Consulting in 2024 to study tunnels, elevated corridors and other decongestion projects. The report recommended a detailed EIA. However, the final

Actor Amol Parashar won hearts and minds with his recent one-man show Besharam Aadmi in Bengaluru on Sunday. The event also marks his return to theatre after a decade of doing films, TV and OTT shows. The quirky comedy follows a character who sees himself as a progressive man with no hang-ups about sharing chores with his wife, even washing her lingerie without a second thought. But when his mother arrives for the first time one morning, he is unable to summon his coolness, he becomes self-consc

At a time when wardrobes are overflowing and trends are changing overnight, friends Sarayu Hegde and Priyanka Kanugolu bring about Love2relove, an online destination, for ones who love luxury and have an eye for sustainability. Hegde, a fashion brand consultant, and Kanugolu, known for curating intimate fashion pop-ups, found their vision resonating with audiences online. At first, it was just about sharing clothes we loved but no longer wore, says Hegde, adding, But the more we posted on social

BENGALURU: Stung by the low 36th rank in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-2025 ranking, the BBMP has taken up a massive cleanliness drive. After potholes popped up on roads following another torrid spell of rain, the civic agency on Saturday launched a desperate drive to fix the poor state of affairs. Zonal commissioners, including Digvijay Bodke of the South Zone and R Snehal of the East Zone, monitored the drives. At Mahadevpuras Panathur, where potholes were a major concern, the officials from the

BENGALURU: ISKCON celebrated Krishna Janmashtami across its three centres in the city -- Hare Krishna Hill, Vaikuntha Hill and KTPO Whitefield -- on Friday and Saturday. The festivities began with a grand abhisheka, a ceremonial bathing with milk, yogurt, honey and fruit juices, followed by arati and traditional food offerings. At midnight, an elaborate abhisheka was performed to welcome Lord Krishna, accompanied by pushpanjali and other devotional sevas. The celebrations drew large crowds, incl

BENGALURU: Almost a year after the Lokayukta visit to Vibhutipura Lake in KR Puram, the BBMP lake division has managed to remove about 8 guntas of encroachment out of 4.5 acres of encroachment. The BBMP officials have installed two water aerators and cleared about 60 to 70 per cent of water hyacinth from the lake. The officials say the water quality in the lake has also improved following the works. Two aerators have been placed on the southern side of the 45-acre lake, and with continuous pumpi