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Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
11 students hospitalised: To transfer Muslim principal, men poison water tank in Karnataka school; Sri Ram Sene chief among 3 held
Image Credit: TOI NEW DELHI: Police in Karnataka have arrested three men in connection with the poisoning of a school water tank that left 11 students hospitalised in Belagavi district two weeks ago. One of those arrested, Sagar Patil, is president of the Sri Ram Sene's Savadatti taluk unit. The incident occurred at a government Kannada primary school in Hulikatti village, where toxic substances were mixed into the school's drinking water supply. Belagavi Superintendent of Police Bhimashankar Guled told reporters that the accused intended to target the school's headmaster, who belongs to a minority community. Here's what happened According to the investigation, the trio—Sagar Patil, Krishna Madar and Magangouda Patil—believed the poisoning would lead to the headmaster's transfer. All 11 students who fell ill after consuming the contaminated water were treated and discharged from hospital. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody. Guled said Sagar Patil was the main conspirator. He allegedly coerced Krishna Madar into joining the plan by threatening to reveal his relationship with a girl from another community. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your New Zealand escape starts with Singapore Airlines Fly with Singapore Airlines Book Now Undo Patil sourced the poison from Munavalli village and it was mixed into the tank water by a student relative. CM blames ' religious fundamentalism ' Chief minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident as 'a heinous act driven by religious fundamentalism and hatred'. He alleged the motive was to discredit the headmaster, who has served the school for 13 years, and force his removal. 'This act could have resulted in the massacre of innocent children. It is a terrifying reminder of how religious bigotry and communal hatred can manifest in such inhuman ways,' the CM posted on X. Siddaramaiah also accused the opposition BJP of fostering a climate of religious polarisation. 'Will Pramod Mutalik, BY Vijayendra, or R Ashok take responsibility for this? Leaders who support such anti-social elements must come forward and atone for their sins,' he said. He announced a special task force to monitor hate speech and prevent communal violence, urging citizens to resist divisive rhetoric and report provocations. Child rights panel steps in In a separate incident in Shivamogga district, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) initiated a suo motu complaint regarding pesticide contamination at a school in Hoovinakone village. The panel has sought a report from the district's education department, calling the act 'unforgivable'. KSCPCR member Shashidhar Kosambe praised the swift response of staff, which he said prevented a major tragedy. Shivamogga SP GK Mithun Kumar has formed three investigative teams to identify those responsible. Police have recovered the pesticide bottle used and are following leads. DSP Aravind Kalagujji is leading the probe, with 18 officers deployed in the area. Local residents expressed dismay at the tarnishing of their village's image. A new water connection has been set up at the school, while the contaminated tank is being preserved as evidence.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Only trained personnel to conduct Pocso awareness sessions in schools
Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has issued directions to ensure that only trained professionals or legal experts are allowed to conduct awareness sessions on Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act in schools across the state. K Naganna Gowda, chairperson of KSCPCR, said directions were sent to deputy directors of public instructions (DDPI) after it was found that some trainers previously used Pocso cases as examples, revealing names and other details of victims. He said such awareness sessions could instil fear among children. To prevent this, KSCPCR has instructed DDPIs to ensure only individuals who have been trained by the special juvenile police unit (SJPU) or are legal experts associated with NGOs working on child rights protection to conduct these sessions. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru "DDPIs should verify details of the resource persons beforehand. Officials should also ensure classes are not disturbed because of multiple awareness sessions," said Gowda. Child rights activists have welcomed the move and reiterated the importance of proper training for individuals conducting these sessions. They say certified and informed trainers are better equipped to handle sensitive topics without causing confusion or fear among students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Nagasimha G Rao, director, Child Rights Trust, also emphasised the importance of using appropriate language during sessions. "Using terms like 'good touch' and 'bad touch' is inappropriate," he said, advocating instead for terms like safe touch and unsafe touch. Rao further stressed the need for resource persons to have a comprehensive understanding of both international and Indian laws, including the Pocso Act and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. He said individuals associated with NGOs working in the child protection space often have the necessary experience to conduct effective sessions. "We learnt that some trainers create confusion among the children as trainers themselves lack knowledge about the Pocso Act. So, we have begun training resource persons and requested KSCPCR to issue certificates to those who have been trained," Rao said. He said NGOs have already conducted awareness programmes in over 100 schools and plan to expand the initiative to cover all govt schools in the state. Rao said these programmes also play a crucial role in preventing child pregnancies by educating children about their rights and protection mechanisms.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
KSCPCR seeks report on poisoning of school water tank
Shivamogga: Even as chief minister Siddaramaiah called the act of mixing toxic substances in the govt primary school's water tank last week an act of terror, the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has initiated a suo motu complaint regarding the pesticide contamination at the Hoovinakone school. The panel has requested a report from Shivamogga's deputy director of the public education department. The KSCPCR has sought a report. KSCPCR member Shashidhar Kosambe stated, "It is unforgivable that miscreants mixed pesticide in the school water tank. A major tragedy that could have happened was averted due to the timeliness of the staff. This is a serious matter, we have written a letter and sought a report from the DDPI." Shivamogga SP GK Mithun Kumar has established three investigative teams to identify the perpetrator. The IPS officer conducted an inspection at Hoovinakone school on Saturday, gathering information from teachers and staff. He later informed reporters about recovering the pesticide bottle used in the incident, and obtaining leads about the suspects. Under Thirthahalli DSP Aravind Kalagujji's leadership, three teams comprising 18 personnel are investigating the case. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo Teams are stationed around Huvinakone village for information gathering and suspect questioning. This comes amidst residents of Hoovinakone in Hosanagara taluk, Shivamogga, being upset with their village's reputation being tarnished. Huvinakone, a village of 150 households situated 50km from the district headquarters, is known for its natural surroundings. The school has established a new water connection while preserving the contaminated tank for investigation. Gram panchayat member Chidambara expressed gratitude to CM Siddaramaiah. A 75-year-old farmer, Shekharappa, expressed dismay at this unprecedented incident in the village. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- The Hindu
Officials must ensure protection of children, says KSCPCR chief
Ensuring the safety and protection of children is the foremost duty of all government officials, said chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) K. Naganna Gowda. He was speaking at a district-level progress review meeting at the Nazir Saab Hall of the Zilla Panchayat in Ballari on Wednesday. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (PoCSO) Act 2012 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015. The session was attended by commission members, officials from various departments at the district and taluk levels and heads of childcare institutions. Discussions centred on child-related programmes and their implementation status. Mr. Gowda stressed that all departments working in the field of child welfare must function in coordination to protect children's rights and to bring them into the mainstream. He emphasised the importance of collaborative action in ensuring that children receive the protection and care they deserve. Presenting data during the meeting, Child Protection Officer from the District Child Protection Unit Elenagappa said that between April 2024 and March 2025, a total of 123 child marriage cases have been prevented in the district. Of these, 11 actually took place and First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed in all the 11 cases, he said. In the period between April and May 2025, 45 cases of child marriage attempts have been recorded, while 11 have occurred. FIRs have been registered in four of those cases. Responding to the report, Mr. Gowda directed that whenever incidents of child marriage are identified, the authorities concerned must immediately visit the homes of the boy and girl involved. 'The officers should engage in meaningful counselling with parents, obtain a written undertaking and clearly inform them that marriage should only be conducted after the child turns 18. Officials from the local gram panchayat, including the Panchayat Development Officer, the Tahsildar, Executive Officers, and representatives from the Education, Health, Police and Child Protection departments must work together in these matters,' he said, directing the officials to file FIRs without any delay in cases where child marriage has occurred.
New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- New Indian Express
More children falling prey to online sexual abuse in Karnataka
BENGALURU: A growing number of children in Karnataka are falling prey to online sexual exploitation and abuse, but most parents, teachers, and even government officials remain unequipped to handle or prevent such threats, a state-level study has found. Released by the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) in partnership with ChildFund India, the study, focused on online sexual exploitation and abuse of children, raises red flags about children's online safety, especially following the Covid pandemic, which, as per the findings, saw increased screen time and unsupervised internet use among children. The report was released on Friday by Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council. The study covered 903 school-going children aged 8–18 years across five Karnataka districts Bengaluru, Chamarajanagar, Raichur, Chikkamagaluru and Belagavi using multi-stage random sampling. Six schools from each district were selected, and 30 students from each school were interviewed, spanning three age groups - 8–11, 12–14, and 15–18 years.
