TIGER SKIN SEIZED

Madikeri July 26

The police forest squad today arrested two persons and seized two pieces of tiger skin from them.

acting on a tip off, police raided the house of Hassan and Yousuff at Gundigere in Betoli village near here and recovered the booty. The tiger skin is estimated to value rupees twenty lakhs, according to police.

The duo informed police that the tiger skin was given to them by Roshan andd Kutta from Hudikeri near nagarahole national Park for sale. They had promised the accused to pay rupees four thousand each after the sale.

Sub inspector Kempaiah and team under the guidance of Superintendent of Police Krishna Murthy conducted the operation. The accused are sent to judicial custody.

FIRST RAIN CLAIMS COW

Madikeri February 26

An untimely rainfall yesterday claimed the life of a cow as a live wire touched the flowing water. Death of the cow turned people wild and they rounded up a KPTCL officer till evening, holding him responsible for the tragedy.

The incident was reported from Napoklu. A live wire was dangling from a pole touching the iron pole. People had complained to the junior engineer Thammaiah and had requested him to repair the fault in the morning. But the engineer ignored the plea. Napoklu received the first rainfall of the summer by evening. The rain water crossing the road had surrounded the electric pole. A cow crossing the road instantly died as the electricity was leaking all over.

People called Thammiah to the spot and gheraod him. They said that the cow would not have died if he had simply disconnected the line. They called the executive engineer to the spot and he never appeared. Finally they demanded compensation from Thammaih. As it was getting late, Thammaiah gave in writing that he will try to get rupees five thousand as compensation from the department. If the department refuses to pay, he said that he will pay from his pocket. The officer was allowed to go afterwards.

POLICE RAID SAND MINES; SEIZE TWO LORRIES

In a lightning action initiated yesterday, police raided many sand mines and seized two Lorries.

The district crime branch police, led by Circle Inspector Krishnakumar, along with the taluk magistrate Devaraju . The lorries were seized at Mutharmudi near madikeri. The mine was run by one ganesh and was removing sand illegally. A case has been registered.

In another case, the team raided a mine in the middle of a coffee estate at Kattemadu. The workers removing the sand escaped and police dumped the collected sand back into the river.

According to Tahasildar, only tow sand mines have permission and about seven other applications in the district were rejected. Permission would be given to collect sand only if it is naturally collected. The smugglers are found digging the bottom of the river, which will cause multiple damages, he said. He has warned the people of action, if sand was removed illegally.

SHOULD HE HAVE A GUEST HOUSE ON FARMERS LAND?

Muthappa Rai speaks…

The tainted don turned social worker Mutahppa Rai was in town yesterday and held an informal chat with this correspondent. Rai spoke at length about his concern to improve Karnataka through his organization, Jayakarnataka.

Asked about the NICE road and land controversy, Rai asked ‘should he have guest house on the land belonging to farmers only? He said that people want NICE road. At the same time, they should help farmers also.

He said that his organization is striving to protect the art, culture, land and interests of Karnataka. We are also hell bent on eradicating corruption rooted in Karnataka, he opined.

Muthappa Rai stated that his organization considers all those who live in Karnataka are Kannadigas and they will never ask others to leave Karnataka.

He said that the organization is interested in preserving the richness of the rural sports and is holding Kambala in South Canara. He has held cricket at Madikeri and will hold wrestling at Mysore in a big manner. He said that slush sports would be held in Kodagu and a national level Kabaddi is also in the offing.

Asked about the removal of its state president Janagere Venkataram, Rai said that he was only good at writing and not in organizing. A district president Kumaraswamy is being replaced as the state president, he informed.