FIVE INCLUDING A COP KILLED IN ACCIDENT;

Madikeri February 15

Five persons including a police constable were killed and three others injured seriously as a jeep and a bus collided near Somwarpet today evening.

Police constable Ashok and four other labourers were killed on the spot as the jeep bashed against a government bus at Aigoor village near Somwarpet. Eye witnesses said that the police constable Ashok was driving the private jeep. He had forced the laborers waiting for the bus to get into jeep and loaded twelve of them. While three were seriously injured, four others are taken as inmates to Somwarpet hospital. The three were sent to Mysore and Mangalore for treatment. The five dead bodies are kept in the morchery. The names of the other four dead are yet to be known.

Hundreds of people gathered to see the ghastly accident at Aigoor and also at Somwarpet hospital to see the dead and the injured.

DYSP Narayan, CI Nayak and police team are investigating.

KANNADA PAPERS IN THE EDGE;

Madikeri February 15

Kannada newspaper readership in Karnataka is decreasing, compared to the other language newspapers, said Rajashekarkoti. He was addressing the felicitation ceremony organized by Press Club.

Honouring the two journalists from Kodagu who have won Patrika Academy award, he stated that awareness to read Kannada newspapers should be brought in Karnataka. Kannada newspapers are in the edge in spite of cheaper rate and better quality.

Appreciating the growth of journalism in Kodagu, he stated that impartial journalism is the secret of success.

Chief Guest, Patrika academy member Rajendra explained the importance of proper reporting and its impacts.

President H.T.Anil presided over. Award winners U.M.Poovaiah of Brahmagiri weekly magazine and Kudekal Santosh of Shakthi daily were felicitated on the occasion. A minuites silence was observed in respect of the soldier Tilak who died due to Jammu and Kashmir road clearing.

RAMAKRISHNA TEMPLE TO BE BUILT;

President of the Ramakrishna Ashram Ponnampet, Swamy Jagadatmananda has said that a new Ramakrishna temple would be built at Ponnampet.

Addressing scribes here, he said that the temple would be built at a cost of rupees 175 lakhs and foundation stone would be laid on this 24th for this purpose. He said that the member of Vishwasta Samity, Tattvabodhananda will grace the occasion.

Swamy Bodhaswarupananda, P.M.Ganesh and C.K.Muthappa were present.

DISTRICT HAS 3,57,368 THOUSAND VOTERS;

Kodagu has 3,57,368 voters, according to Deputy Commissioner Niranjan.

Addressing scribes at his office, he stated that the verification of voters list was done thrice and the final number is out. He disclosed that the earlier list had 4,13,783 names and about 65,989 names were disqualified. 9584 voters were included into the list.

The Deputy Commissioner said that one more final round of verification would be done by the booth officials. They will visit the houses and do the additions or deletion work. The final list would be ready by March ten.

Public can give their objections about the list by this 22, he said. The objections would be attended to before March 8, he said.

He stated that the photographing for the voters cards is over, including at Virajpet. He disclosed that 21 Ration outlets would be opened at Virajpet taluk and interested may apply for it.