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The Hindu
a day ago
- Health
- The Hindu
World Brain Health Day: Stroke management and head injury care to be provided on a ‘hub-and- spoke' model in Karnataka
Soon timely stroke management and head injury care will be available for people in government medical colleges closer to their residing districts. NIMHANS in coordination with the State government has developed 'hub-and-spoke' model for stroke and head injury care across Karnataka. Under this model, an advanced stroke and head injury centre (hub) at NIMHANS will coordinate for establishment of spoke centres in six medical colleges and provide guidance and support across the State. July 22 is observed as World Brain Day and the theme for 2025 is 'Brain Health for All Ages.' A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is disrupted, either by a blockage or a bleed, causing brain cells to die due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. This can lead to a range of disabilities, from mild weakness to severe paralysis, and in some cases, permanent disability and even death. Golden hour Recognising the symptoms and seeking immediate medical attention within the 'golden hour' - four to six hours after symptoms begin - is crucial for minimising damage and maximising recovery. Immediate treatment can significantly improve outcomes by restoring blood flow to the brain and preventing further cell death, doctors said. The stroke management and head injury care project will be on the lines of Karnataka's heart attack (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction - STEMI) management project currently running in 86 taluks. The hub-and-spoke model will avoid delay in providing stroke diagnosis and treatment apart from head injury care to needy patients. Accessibility to timely care closer to their place of stay will avoid patients rushing to NIMHANS, thereby ensuring there is no congestion at the premier mental health institution. At NIMHANS six to 12 stroke patients and 15 to 16 head injury cases are seen daily. NIMHANS apex centre Girish B. Kulkarni, Professor of Neurology and head of the stroke unit at NIMHANS, told The Hindu on Monday that the hub-and-spoke model for stroke management, involves a network of healthcare facilities where NIMHANS - the apex stroke centre (hub) will provide advanced care and support to surrounding smaller facilities (spokes). 'This model aims to improve stroke outcomes by streamlining access to timely and appropriate care, especially in the crucial 'golden hour' after a stroke,' Dr. Girish said. While the apex centre at NIMHANS started three months ago, a spoke centre at the Karnataka Medical College and Research Institute (KMCRI) in Hubballi has started tracing stroke patients and has been providing routine stroke management recently. With funding from the State government, KMCRI is all set to get a Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) machine shortly. This equipment is used in stroke management to visualise blood vessels in the brain and identify blockages or abnormalities that may be causing a stroke, the doctor said. Apart from KMCRI, spoke centres will be established in government medical colleges in Bengaluru (Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute), Mysuru Medical, Raichur and Ballari. 'We have identified the colleges and the centres will be established soon at a total cost of ₹56 crore,' Dr. Girish said. Brain health Karnataka's Brain Health Initiative (KaBHI) being run in collaboration with NIMHANS has helped improve early detection and management of neurological disorders at the grassroots level. The initiative has trained primary healthcare providers — including doctors and nurses — to identify and treat common neurological conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, and headache in district and taluk hospitals. This has already brought neurological care closer to the people, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, and reduced delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
41st anniversary of The Times of India, Bengaluru: Bengaluru will rock you
Namma ooru will always wear its 'India's Rock capital' crown with pride. And beyond this realm is a city lilting to fresh flourishes from homegrown talent. Don't believe us? Just tune in to the musical powerhouses who've lived it, played it, and loved it here. Raw and unfiltered Before his celebrated three Grammys and global acclaim, homie Ricky Kej had his first real taste of Bengaluru's raw music spirit at a music festival in Nelamangala. 'I remember having had so much fun travelling to the city's outskirts and being welcomed by a lively crowd. It was just great music in the open air where music aficionados like me sat on the grass to soak in the notes. No filmy frills or international bands, only local talent. No hatred, no show-offs, just pure fun,' Ricky reminisces, He credits the city's audiences for what makes the music scene special. 'This is one city where fans will buy tickets — they won't ask for passes,' he says candidly. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru For Girish Pradhan, frontman of an Indian rock band, Bengaluru isn't just another city on the tour map — it's India's OG rock capital. 'Back when Millennium dropped India's first metal album to the time an English heavy metal band tore up the stage here — Bengaluru has always had rock in its DNA,' he says. And the crowd? Total legends. 'You'll spot everyone — from hyped-up teens to chill 70-year-olds — all vibing, all in. They don't just listen to music, they live it.' Echoing his energy is Khalid Ahamed, founder-frontman of one of Bengaluru's finest indie-rock acts. 'This city has been nurturing rock bands since the '80s. It's more than just a scene — it's a culture,' he says. Unlike trend-chasing cities, Bengaluru's vibe is real — 'raw, rooted, and totally about the music.' He credits the city's strong independent spirit for keeping the flame alive. The bottom line? Bengaluru doesn't just host rock — it breathes it. The city's cosmopolitan culture and tech-fueled character percolates into the music scene, as the musicians observe. 'With people pouring into Bengaluru from all over India — and the world — the city's music scene is basically a giant melting pot of sounds and influences. And with so many folks here working tech-heavy, screen-filled day jobs, music has become the ultimate escape hatch. Whether you're creating it or just soaking it in, rock has turned into therapy — a loud, emotional, totally cathartic way to hit reset in a city that never stops buzzing,' says Fidel D'Souza, bassist. Girish feels folks crave authenticity in a fast-paced world, and music offers that escape. 'Sure, Bengaluru's techy, global vibe has brought in fresh energy, but the rock scene here has always been strong at its core. It's built on insanely talented musicians and fans who show up with the same passion, year after year.' Girish states. The community huddle The band's percussionist Sachin Bannandur sums it up beautifully when he says the city's music scene is less of an industry and more of a movement. 'It's really about the sound than trends. There's a deep-rooted, organic music culture here that hasn't faded,' he adds. Whether you're a creator or a connoisseur, Bengaluru offers something rare: community, as the lead guitarist Bharath Kashyap chips in. 'People here don't just like bands — they follow them. They know every lyric, show up to every gig, and bring serious energy. It's a crowd that's passionate, multilingual, and spans generations.' Venues that vibe While Palace Grounds was accepted as the eternal mosh pit for music lovers, Ricky reminisces about iconic other venues such as Webbs Ground on MG Road and The Club on Bannerghatta Road that gave voice to hundreds of artists. 'These were the soul of the city's music,' he says. Sure, the city's music scene took a bit of a hit post-2018 with some classic venues fading out, but the spirit never died. 'The way gigs are curated has changed, but the passion? Still loud and proud,' says Girish. No surprise then, that the Sikkim-based band has always felt namma love — decade after decade. 'The community's got heart — no doubt about it. But while the love for music is solid, venues tend to come and go. The intention is there, for sure, but the infrastructure's a bit shaky. Still, that doesn't stop artists and fans from keeping it real and building something that actually matters,' says Fidel. Homegrown talent Girish is of the view that Bengaluru always had a soft spot for homegrown talent. 'It's one of the few cities where original music actually gets the respect it deserves. There's a solid community of artists, venues, and listeners who get the value of authentic sound. But there's still so much untapped potential. If civic bodies stepped in with better infrastructure, easier event permissions, and real investment in cultural spaces, the scene could seriously level up — not just bigger, but sustainably so,' he says candidly. But the city still needs more intimate venues, Ricky adds — places for 50-60 people, with just a piano or a sarod, like the ones in Perth or New York. 'It's not about scale. It's about space for deep, real connection.' Across the board, the artists agree: Bengaluru loves music, and musicians love Bengaluru. But the next step is civic support. Smoother permissions, dedicated cultural spaces, and infrastructure will go a long way. 'There's so much untapped potential,' Girish notes. Even so, the city's DIY ethic keeps it alive. 'The intention is there, and the community keeps building something real,' Parvaaz affirms. Why Bengaluru still rocks Whether it's rock, metal, fusion, or ambient — Bengaluru is where it lives. It's not just about hearing music — it's about feeling it, living it, and sometimes even becoming it. So, the next time you hear of a local gig, don't scroll past. Go. Listen. Dance. Mosh. Support. Because in this city of tech and traffic, it's the music that keeps the soul wild and the heart youthful. Rock on like Bengaluru, we say.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Solving Crime: 22 years ago, when SMSes helped police crack a newly engaged Bengaluru engineer's murder
More than two decades ago, a newly engaged couple stepped out for dinner on a cold December night in Bengaluru. On their way back home, they decided to stop and watch planes taking off in the air. The decision would prove fateful, ending in one of them being murdered—a crime that would shock the city and the state as the case took an unimaginable turn in the days to come. It was 2003. B V Girish, 27, was a young software professional in Bengaluru, working at a high-paying job at Intel. His family, who stayed in Banashankari Second Stage, were looking for a bride for him. It was then that advocate Shankaranarayan, one of their neighbours and somebody they had known for around 15 years, suggested an alliance with his daughter, Shubha. Shubha, 21, was a fifth-semester student of Integrated LLB at BMS Law College in Bengaluru. The families met, and the marriage was fixed. On November 30, 2003, Girish and Shubha's engagement was held in Bengaluru, with the wedding date fixed on April 11, 2004. The families were overjoyed, eager to see the couple build a future together—but it was not to be. Following the engagement, Girish and Shubha, who had only been exchanging messages until then, started meeting in person. On December 3, four days after the engagement, the couple met for dinner. At around 9.30 pm, the duo, who were on Girish's scooter, decided to stop near HAL airport to watch planes take off. The decision would prove costly. A man struck Girish on the back of his head with a blunt object. Shubha, who was standing next to Girish, screamed for help. Hearing her cries, a passerby, Armyman Sujesh Kumar, rushed to help and took Girish to a hospital. However, it was too late. Girish was dead. Around 10.15 pm, Police Inspector K Nanaiah was winding up his day at the Vivek Nagar police station when Shubha arrived and reported the murder. She told the police that she suspected it was a robbery bid as she was wearing gold jewellery. Speaking to The Indian Express, Nanaiah, who is retired now, recalled that within five minutes after she reached the police station, a senior police officer called. 'It was clear that I would be investigating a high-profile murder case,' Nanaiah said. Kumar, who helped Shubha take the grievously injured Girish to the hospital, provided the police with their first clue. 'They put Girish in the back seat and rushed to Manipal hospital. The Armyman said that Shubha came and sat with him in the front seat. Her fiancé was bleeding in the back seat,' Nanaiah recalled, saying that the tiny detail rankled. By then, the police were under pressure to solve the case. 'Shubha's father was a known advocate. I was getting phone calls from senior police officers,' he said, recollecting how he was even being accused of harassing Shubha by frequently questioning her. Nanaiah and his team visited Intel and found that nobody had any grudge against Girish. 'His colleagues enjoyed his company. He was a pragmatic person,' a police officer said. With no leads forthcoming, the police decided to get the call detail records (CDR) of Girish and Shubha. The CDRs were revelatory and turned out to be a turning point in the investigation. Checking the CDRs, the police noticed that Shubha allegedly called Arun Verma, 19, a junior at her college, every day, more than she called Girish. 'If Shubha and Girish had exchanged two calls daily, it would be 12-15 with Arun. He became a subject of interest, and we started collecting information about him,' the officer said. Arun was the son of a joint director of a government department, an influential person, the officer added. Despite mounting pressure, the investigation team decided to lie low and not pick anyone up for questioning. However, they continued to gather details about Arun and Shubha's association and soon learnt that they were allegedly in a relationship. 'Two police constables were sent to track Shubha and Arun's movements,' Nanaiah said. The probe team also spoke to Shubha's friends and a beautician she often visited. It was confirmed. Shubha and Arun were in a relationship, and she was unhappy about the alliance with Girish, the police said. It was the early days of mobile phones. The police managed to collect the messages between Shubha and Arun, and they allegedly reconfirmed that they were involved in killing Girish. While there were hundreds of messages between the two, the police focused on those exchanged a few hours before and after Girish was murdered. 'Of the hundreds of messages, the SMSes shared between 2 pm and 10.30 am on December 3 and 4, 2003, were the most significant. On December 4, 2003, Arun sent a text, 'I hope everything is okay, I am worried'. To this, Shubha replied calmly, saying that everything was under control,' the officer said. More than a month after the incident, on January 21, 2004, the police arrested Arun. Within minutes, Shubha, Dinakar alias Dinesh, Arun's cousin, and Venkatesh, the alleged murderer, were also arrested. 'It took just one hour to arrest all of them. They never suspected anything amiss and were roaming freely,' Nanaiah recalled, with a laugh. According to the police, Shankaranarayan allegedly learnt that Shubha and Arun were in a relationship, and fixed her wedding. Unhappy, Shubha and Arun decided to murder Girish, the police claimed. Dinesh hired Venkatesh to execute the murder, the police said. Shubha was told to take Girish to 'Air View Point' located near HAL on Airport Road. Venkatesh followed them and hit Girish with an iron rod, the police said. What came as a shock to the police was that Venkatesh had allegedly killed Girish for a paltry Rs 1,500 and a mobile phone. The Girish murder case became a sensation after Shubha was arrested. In July 2010, a special fast-track court convicted all four accused—Shubha, Arun, Dinakar, and Venkatesh—finding them guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy. The accused were sentenced to life imprisonment, with Shubha being given an additional three years for attempting to destroy evidence. It was a landmark case in Karnataka's legal history as the court considered the SMS time stamps, call records and messages as evidence to convict the killers. The accused approached the Karnataka High Court in 2010, challenging the order, but in November, the high court junked their appeal. In 2012, Shubha moved the Supreme Court, challenging her conviction, and secured bail. On July 14 this year, the Supreme Court upheld the judgment of the lower court but allowed Shuba to submit a mercy petition before the Karnataka governor. 'We do not wish to end our judgment by merely rendering a conviction. We do believe that this court has a little more role to play. Considering that we started our discussion keeping in mind that this unfortunate event would not have occurred had the family been more sympathetic in understanding the mental predilection and disposition of A-4 (Shubha), it is important for us to make certain observations. Ultimately, A-4 was unable to make a decision for herself, despite being an individual who had attained majority. Having said so, we cannot condone her action as it resulted in the loss of an innocent life of a young man,' the Supreme Court said in its order. 'They were not born as criminals, but it was an error of judgment through a dangerous adventure which led to the commission of a heinous crime. It is difficult for us to decide at this stage who influenced the other, although there is a clear meeting of minds,' the order stated. According to Nanaiah, Shubha's family links to the law and judiciary led her to believe that she could get away with the murder. 'Things turned out exactly the opposite,' he said. Speaking about the recent Supreme Court judgment, Nanaiah said the credit went to Girish's family. 'Girish's father, Anantha Narayana Rao, was in his 70s when the crime was committed. He followed every court hearing till his last breath in 2007. Girish's sister also relentlessly pursued the case,' Nanaiah added. Sunitha B V, Girish's sister, said that giving up was never an option. 'My brother was an innocent person. He did not know anything,' she said, adding, 'Shankaranarayan was our neighbour, and our families had known each other for 15 years. The proposal was brought by Shankaranarayan himself. It cost us our brother.'
India Today
15-07-2025
- India Today
Supreme Court sees 'wild romanticism' in fiance murder, pauses woman's life term
In a judgment advocating for 'reformative justice', the Supreme Court put on hold the life sentence of a woman convicted of killing her fiance with help from her boyfriend and two others, observing that "mental rebellion and wild romanticism" led to a catastrophic case dates back to December 3, 2003, when BV Girish, a 26-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru, was brutally murdered after a dinner outing with his fiance, Shubha Shankar, a 20-year-old law sets this judgment apart is how despite the close scrutiny of the 'astounding' evidence against the accused persons, the Supreme Court refused to close its eyes to the deeper, human dimensions of the tragedy. The judgment, pronounced by the bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar characterises Shubha as a young woman 'muffled by a forced family decision' and suffering immense internal turmoil as her ambitions were thwarted by IS THE CASE?Shubha and Girish got engaged on November 30, 2003 following an arrangement by their families, who were neighbours and held cordial the night of the incident, after dinner, the couple stopped at Air View Point to watch airplanes land. While they were parked at the viewpoint, Girish was attacked and fatally struck on the head multiple times with a steel rod by an unknown with the help of bystanders, took Girish to the hospital, where he was declared dead the following the case was registered against unknown persons. However, investigations uncovered a conspiracy involving Shubha herself, her close friend Arun Verma, his cousin Dinesh, and their associate Venkatesh, who was identified as the by Shubha's reluctance to marry Girish and her closeness with Arun, the four were accused of orchestrating and executing the crime. They were arrested in January 2004, tried, and eventually convicted for murder and criminal Karnataka High Court too, dismissed the appeals of the accused persons challenging their convictions and upheld the sentence. The matter then reached the Supreme SUPREME COURT OBSERVEDThe Supreme Court undertook a "studied scrutiny of the charges, along with the evidence placed on record", and heard arguments at considerable length from both sides. The court said that its foundational duty is to "make an endeavour and find out the truth".The call data records obtained from the accused persons played a crucial role in their conviction. The Supreme Court, on close scrutiny of the evidence found the CDR data to be "astounding", revealing an extensive and unusual pattern of communications among the and SMSes from October 2003 through December 2003 were analysed, and the top court noted spikes in communication frequency, particularly between Shubha and Arun, often at "odd hours of the night," even while Shubha was engaged to the deceased and present at her engagement the basis of the call records, the court also noted the active entry of Arun's cousin into the conspiracy on November 25, 2003, by making multiple direct calls to Shubha, who was then a complete stranger to him. It took note of the "dramatic rise" in communication between Arun and Shubha, with 56 exchanges on the day before the the day of the incident, there were 54 communications between Arun and Shubha, primarily through SMSes, exchanged continuously while Shubha was with the deceased. This, the court said, supported the prosecution's theory that Shubha was providing Arun real-time updates on their bench found the "sudden silence" in communication between Arun and Shubha immediately after the incident and her unusual choice not to inform Arun about the incident, as crucial evidence of conspiracy. The tower location data also added "muscle" to the prosecution's case by placing Arun's cousin and his friend in close proximity to the crime NOT PUNISHMENTDespite the towering evidence, the Supreme Court did not cloak its decision in mere procedural rigour. Instead, it took the path of reformative justice.'This unfortunate event would not have occurred, had the family been more sympathetic in understanding the mental predilection and disposition of Shubha,' the judgment court recognised that the line between perpetrator and victim can blur when societal pressures push the vulnerable toward desperate, sometimes even disastrous, choices."A mere punishment per se would not constitute a remedy for an act of crime. It might change the offender's legal or social status, but would not be sufficient to address the root cause of his actions or remove the psychological and emotional factors that made him commit the idea is to reform and rehabilitate the convict to bring him back into the fold of society, the bench court based this on the Constitution stating, 'The Constitution of India, 1950... which is the supreme law of the land, encourages the reformation of individuals, by granting them a new lease of life. This is personified by Articles 72 and 161 of the Constitution which empowers the constitutional authorities to grant pardon to convicts.'advertisementIn the concluding paragraphs of the judgment, the Supreme Court said, 'We do not wish to end our judgment by merely rendering a conviction. We do believe that this Court has a little more role to play."The bench said considering that the judgment began by noting that the unfortunate event would not have occurred, had Shubha's family been more sympathetic in understanding her mental predilection, it is crucial that the Court makes certain court observed that Shubha was unable to make a decision for herself, despite being an adult woman. While clearly refusing to condone her actions and upholding her conviction, it said that Shubha was made to commit this offence by adopting the wrong course of action in order to address her problem.'The appellants, who committed the offence with adrenaline pumping in their veins, have now reached the middle age,' the bench said. 'Two out of the four accused persons were teenagers at the time of occurrence, while Shubha had barely crossed that phase They were not born as criminals, but it was an error of judgment through a dangerous adventure which led to the commission of a heinous crime.'advertisementThe Supreme Court said it is important to facilitate the accused persons' right to seek pardon by permitting them to approach the Karnataka arrest and life sentence of the accused was suspended by the top court for 8 weeks to grant them time to file their petitions before the Governor.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Hindustan Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SC affirms life term for murder convict, urges Governor to consider pardon
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the life imprisonment of a woman lawyer and her three associates for the 2003 murder of her fiancé, but called on the Karnataka governor to consider their pleas for pardon, observing that society itself cannot escape responsibility for the deviant behavior it often helps shape. The 132-page judgment delved into the possible causes of crime, particularly when it arises from emotional rebellion, systemic inequity and gendered oppression (ANI) A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Aravind Kumar, while affirming the conviction and sentence awarded by the Karnataka High Court to advocate Shubha Shankarnarayan (42) and her three co-accused, delved deep into the sociological underpinnings of criminality and appealed for compassion, transformation and community responsibility. 'Society, through its own systemic failures, inequalities, or neglect often plays a role in shaping criminal behavior,' the bench said, adding that the responsibility of reintegrating and rehabilitating such offenders must also be borne by the society that may have contributed to their alienation. Shubha, daughter of a prominent Bangalore-based lawyer, was engaged to software engineer BV Girish on November 30, 2003. Four days later, on December 3, she asked Girish to take her out for dinner and then insisted on stopping at a spot on the Indiranagar-Koramangala Intermediate Ring Road to watch airplanes land. There, Girish was attacked and murdered by Arun Verma, Shubha's alleged boyfriend and two of his accomplices. All four were convicted by the trial court and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010. After the high court affirmed their conviction, they had moved the Supreme Court assailing the verdict, which the top court dismissed on Monday. The bench held that the evidence on record was sufficient and endorsed the concurrent findings of the lower courts. Even as it upheld the conviction, the top court refused to end its intervention at a purely punitive level. Citing 161 of the Constitution that vests the power of pardon in the governor, it urged that a broader view of justice be taken in light of the passage of time and subsequent conduct of the convicts. 'The appellants, who committed the offence with adrenaline pumping in their veins, have now reached middle age… They were not born as criminals, but it was an error of judgment through a dangerous adventure,' said the court, adding that none of the four had attracted any adverse conduct reports from jail authorities since their conviction. Accordingly, the court granted the convicts eight weeks to file appropriate petitions seeking pardon under Article 161. It directed that they shall not be arrested and their sentence shall remain suspended until the governor has considered their mercy plea. The 132-page judgment delved into the possible causes of crime, particularly when it arises from emotional rebellion, systemic inequity and gendered oppression. Describing the internal turmoil of Shubha, it noted: 'The voice of a young ambitious girl, muffled by a forced family decision, created the fiercest of turmoil in her mind… backed by an unholy alliance of a mental rebellion and wild romanticism, (it) led to the tragic murder of an innocent young man.' Crime, Justice Sundresh wrote, must be seen not merely as an individual's deviance but as an outcome of multiple interlinked social and psychological factors. 'A crime constitutes a mental rebellion of norms and rules…triggered by causes which are both distant and immediate…The offender becomes a victim, requiring adequate measures for treatment by compassionate correction, structural support, and opportunities for genuine transformation,' said the bench, highlighting the need to move beyond retributive justice. Importantly, the court made a special mention of the gendered dimensions of criminal behaviour and societal control. Referring to the predicament of a young woman forced into an unwanted marriage and denied autonomy, the court observed: 'An unwarranted marriage thrust upon her is the worst form of alienation that she can experience both mentally and physically… A forced marriage, divorcing her from her professional ambitions and curtailing her further education, would certainly warrant a reaction. Such reactions would vary from one woman to another, depending upon the circumstances.'
