Karnataka Minister Parameshwara asks students not to ruin lives with drugs
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The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
With increased awareness, digital arrest cases see a drop in Karnataka
The number of digital arrest cases, where victims are held in 'virtual arrest' by fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officers, alleging that victims have been involved in crimes, has come down drastically in Karnataka. While the State reported 1055 cases in 2024, it reported only 210 cases in seven monthstill the end of July in 2025 , shows data presented by Home Minister G. Parameshwara in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, while responding to a question raised by Mangaluru (South) MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath. However, a closer analysis of the data shows that while the average money lost in a digital arrest case in 2024 was ₹20 lakh, it has risen to ₹29.5 lakh in cases registered till the end of July in 2025. Significantly, 2025 has recorded two cases where victims of digital arrest fraud ended their lives under pressure from fraudsters - a senior citizen couple in Belagavi and a Bescom employee in Channapatna, a first in the State. Growing awareness Cybercrime police attribute the decreasing number of such cases to rising awareness among people regarding the modus operandi of digital arrest and several proactive measures taken by law enforcement agencies. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself clarified in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat on October 27, 2024, that no law enforcement agency has the concept of a 'digital arrest' in the country, and neither do any agencies question people online. 'In cybercrimes, every modus operandi has a life cycle. As awareness about that particular modus operandi rises, fraudsters look for new ways to defraud people. Initially, digital arrest cases started as courier scam, and fraudsters made several tweaks to the modus operandi and, in the process, came up with the idea of a digital arrest. Now, most people seem to be aware of this fraud. Those who are still falling prey to it are either mostly senior citizens or those who are not exposed and are unaware,' said Raja Imam Qasim P., Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime2), Bengaluru police, overseeing cybercrime probes in the city, which records the highest number of cybercrimes and digital arrest cases in the state. Proactive measures 'Our coordination with other States like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and some of the States that house cyber crime hotspots has improved, leading to several of these syndicates being busted,' an official said. The Central Crime Branch (CCB), Bengaluru, has recently busted two SIM box cases, which were converting overseas calls from cyber fraud call centres in Cambodia to local calls to make them more believable. 'Most of the cyber fraudsters speak in Hindi. So we carried out a campaign asking people to only speak in Kannada to ensure a communication barrier. This has also worked very well,' a senior police official said. However, the State police have been able to crack only around 10% of these digital arrest cases and recovered money in around 23% of the cases in both 2024 and 2025. 'In cases reported within the golden hour - before the fraudsters have laundered the money stolen from the victim - there are more chances of recovering the swindled money. Delayed reporting creates challenges difficult to surmount,' a senior official said.
News18
5 hours ago
- News18
Evening Digest: Filing ITR? Use 80G Donations To Save More Tax & Top Picks
Last Updated: 80G donations offer tax relief, Russia-China challenge Trump's moves, Kannada numeral watch turns heads and zero-down-payment EV deal. From Bollywood's most private love story to weight-loss drug warnings, shifting global power games, and zero-down-payment EV deals, here's your quick roundup of the day's top stories. Filing ITR 2025 under the old regime? Donations to registered bodies can shrink your tax bill. From eligible charities to claim rules, here's how your generosity can also be financially rewarding. 👉 Learn More 🌏 Power Shifts Ahead: Russia, China Challenge Trump's Moves While the US flexes military and economic muscle, Russia and China are forging deep defence and trade ties. For India, balancing relations with all three is becoming a complex strategic puzzle. 👉 Read Story Karnataka's Gandaberunda emblem and Kannada numerals, this limited-edition wristwatch blends heritage with modern design. 👉 See More Ozempic and similar injections promise quick weight loss, but rare cases of sudden, irreversible vision loss have emerged. Experts warn India of the potential eye risk. 👉 Details Here Owning an EV in India just got easier. A new HDFC-VinFast deal lets customers — and even dealers — drive away with a VinFast electric car without paying anything upfront 👉 Find Out The director refused to cut the scene from Bajrangi Bhaijaan despite CBFC pushback. 👉 Know Why view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
7 hours ago
- The Print
Afzalgunj to Begum Bazar—Hyderabad's markets don't look ‘nawabi'. Marwaris, Gujjus built them
The matter has now become a full-blown rift, with even politicians now being forced to speak about it. The BJP has predictably supported the Marwari community (with Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar speaking up for them), while the ruling Congress is treading cautiously. However, the day is here. Some Telangana groups are pushing a 'Marwari go back' campaign in Hyderabad. It all started with an altercation between a Marwari businessman and a local person from a marginalised community in Secunderabad earlier this month. Hyderabad is unlike other cities where language or community sparks rifts. Each time I read about Kannada or Marathi speakers haranguing others for not knowing the local language, I'd feel proud that my city has never asked anyone, especially migrant communities, to leave. Telangana Congress president Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud, when asked about this by a local TV channel, said that everyone should practice trade freely. 'When someone comes from one state to another for business, we are not asking them to leave. We will inform the CM. Be it Gujarati, Marwari, or Vaishyas, they should not do Hera Pheri and do fair trade,' he said. His statement is rather interesting given that he did not rule out any wrongdoing on the part of the local people. What began as an isolated altercation has now fueled sentiments that were once whispered in corners. Since the Nizam era I have often heard complaints from local traders in Hyderabad about how 'outsiders' are running major markets in the city and Telangana in general. Migration from Rajasthan or Gujarat is the reason one can find several 'Balaji or 'Balaji Marwadi' sweets shops and Kirana stores all over the city. While Marwaris have long been part of Hyderabad society, as they are in many cities, the issue of jobs among the local youth now seems to be snowballing into anger against this North-Indian community. One of the primary reasons for Telangana's formation was the issue of jobs, which many from the state felt were being unfairly allocated to people from Andhra in Hyderabad. The demand for a state may have been met, but the anger hasn't gone away. Marwaris, who run many businesses and even entire markets here, have now become conspicuous, a target for those frustrated that their job aspirations have not been met. Today, Marwaris in Hyderabad run the jewellery, grain, hardware, and Kirana stores. Some of Hyderabad's oldest jewellery and perfume stores—many dating back to the Nizam era—are run by Marwari, Gujrati, and Jain families. The first wave of Marwaris arrived in the mid-19th century, during the reign of the fifth Nizam, Afzal-ud-Daula. A second wave came under the last Nizam Osman Ali Khan, when many were invited to set up shops in the Pathergatti area of the Old City. Afzalgunj and Begum Bazar today look nothing like the 'Nawabi' Hyderabad we imagine, but more like a setting cut and pasted into the city's environs. The community, though long settled and part of Hyderabad, has recreated its own sensibilities here, offering a glimpse of what their home back in Rajasthan or Gujarat might look like. A recent fire near Charminar killed 17 people, including eight children from a Modi family. They had been migrants in the city at some point. Also read: Is Hyderabad progressive? Muslim men moral policing Muslim women is routine Distraction from local polls While some local residents are now blaming the Marwari community for trading unfairly, their control over some of the lucrative business sectors may now be a convenient new target. However, I doubt that this issue will become any bigger as wealthy Telugus in Telangana don't seem to have a problem with them. More than sectors like jewellery, the local wealth in the state rests in the real estate, dominated by Reddy businessmen. The ruling government will have to be smart to not let this row escalate. Given that the BJP is being run by leaders from Gujarat (PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah), the state unit will, in all likelihood, not take the side of local people. Expectedly, BJP's Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat candidate from the 2024 polls, Maadhavi Latha, even called this Congress government's attempt to create divisions among Hindus. People from the community I spoke to believe this is a ploy by vested politicians to take away the focus from the upcoming Telangana local body elections, for which the ruling Congress has promised the Backward Class groups 42 per cent reservation. The ordinance to bring in that reservation is currently pending approval from the President of India. As things stand, the Hyderabadis demanding 'Marwari go back' could destroy the city's image—the Hyderabad that has opened its doors for everyone since its foundation in 1591. Yunus Lasania is a Hyderabad-based journalist whose work primarily focuses on politics, history, and culture. He tweets @YunusLasania. Views are personal. (Edited by Ratan Priya)
