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Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
‘15 spirits inside you': Bengaluru woman falls for astrologer's claim, loses ₹5 Lakh
A 33-year-old woman from Bengaluru's Vibhuthipura has filed a police complaint against a self-styled astrologer who allegedly cheated her of more than ₹5 lakh after claiming he could exorcise evil spirits causing her health issues, reported The Times of India. Also Read - Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, Four held for questioning According to the report, the woman, who comes from a police officer's family, was introduced to the astrologer in December 2023 by a friend while she was battling frequent health problems, including indigestion and swelling in her hands and feet. She was living at the Adugodi police quarters at the time. The astrologer reportedly told her that she was haunted by 15 evil spirits and promised to remove them through spiritual rituals. On December 14, 2023, she shared her horoscope and photograph with him and began making digital payments. Initial transfers of ₹150 and ₹151 soon escalated, amounting to nearly ₹4.2 lakh online, in addition to ₹1 lakh in cash. On September 29, 2024, the astrologer conducted a so-called healing session at a hotel in Koramangala. His methods included cutting lemons, burning incense, blowing on them, striking the woman with peacock feathers, grabbing her hair, and repeatedly chanting, 'Soul, go away.' Also Read - Bengaluru rains flood BMTC bus near Manyata Tech Park, passengers soaked amid heavy downpour. Video That same day, the astrologer allegedly collected ₹65,000 each from two of the woman's friends who were also seeking similar 'treatments.' Despite the elaborate rituals, the woman's health showed no improvement. When she asked for a refund, the astrologer allegedly cut off contact. After repeated failed attempts to reach him, she filed a police complaint. A case has been registered under Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cheating.
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru rains bring city to standstill, Manyata Tech Park turns into water park again
Bengaluru was brought to its knees on Tuesday evening after intense rainfall led to widespread waterlogging and massive traffic disruptions across the city. The downpour, one of the heaviest in recent memory, laid bare the fragile state of the city's infrastructure yet again, especially during extreme weather events. Also Read - Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, Four held for questioning Several arterial roads, particularly in east Bengaluru, were submerged, causing long traffic snarls as commuters struggled to reach home. The chaos began during peak office hours, with vehicles stuck in knee-deep water in areas like Whitefield, Marathahalli, Banaswadi and Hebbal. Motorists were forced to wade through inundated streets, while rain continued to pour relentlessly. In response, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) deployed teams to drain the water from affected roads. Bengaluru Traffic Police also stepped in to manage the gridlock and direct traffic flow in the worst-hit areas. One of the most severely affected zones was Manyata Tech Park, which once again turned into a flood zone. Videos shared by tech workers on social media showed roads within the park submerged under several inches of water. The recurring issue triggered sharp reactions online. 'Another year, same story! Heavy rains = waterlogging at Manyata Tech Park. Roads flooded, commutes ruined, productivity hampered. How long will this go on?' posted one user on X, tagging BBMP and Embassy REIT. Another user sarcastically remarked, 'Manyata Tech Park on sunny days and water park on rainy days. Thanks to our brilliant urban planners and the unchecked real estate lobby.' Private weather blogger Namma Karnataka Weather (@namma_vjy) reported that East Banaswadi saw the highest rainfall at 37.5 mm, followed by HAL Airport (35 mm), Cottonpete (25.5 mm), and Marathahalli (24.5 mm). The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed these reports and has issued a yellow alert for the coming days. The forecast warns of light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 30–50 kmph. Due to the rain, Bengaluru's maximum temperature dropped to 32°C, which is 1.3°C below the seasonal average, providing temporary relief from the summer heat — but at the cost of major inconvenience. As the city braces for more rain in the coming days, residents are once again left questioning the state of urban planning, drainage infrastructure, and political will to address these recurring monsoon woes.
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Baby girl with cleft lip abandoned in Bengaluru auto-rickshaw, father arrested in Kodagu: Report
A 43-year-old coffee planter from Karnataka's Kodagu district has been arrested for allegedly abandoning his two-week-old daughter in an auto-rickshaw at Bengaluru's Kengeri Satellite Bus Stand last month, Indian Express reported. The accused, identified as P Appanna, a resident of Virajpet, was traced by Bengaluru police after CCTV footage captured him and his partner leaving the baby inside the vehicle during the early hours of April 24. The infant, born prematurely with a cleft lip, had been wrapped in cloth and left unattended in the backseat. (Also Read: Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, Four held for questioning) Rajasekhar Rao, a local resident, discovered the baby crying inside the parked auto around 5.50 am and immediately alerted the authorities. The infant was rushed to Vani Vilas Hospital, where she continues to receive medical care. Police say the baby is now under the care of the Child Welfare Commission. According to police, Appanna and his partner, both reportedly estranged from their previous spouses, had travelled to Bengaluru with the intention of giving up the baby. Officers said the woman expressed reluctance to care for the infant due to her cleft lip and cited her inability to breastfeed. Following the incident, the couple returned to Virajpet, where Appanna was taken into custody. The woman, who is reportedly struggling with alcohol addiction, has been admitted to a rehabilitation centre. Police said the infant's health is being closely monitored and her case has been forwarded to child welfare authorities for further care. (Also Read: Bengaluru teen dies after tree branch falls on scooter in Devanahalli)
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
How AI is quietly reshaping Bengaluru police: From AI-powered traffic management to drone surveillance
In a candid conversation on Nikhil Kamath's podcast, Bengaluru's top police officials revealed how they are leveraging cutting-edge technology, from AI to drones, to manage the city's notorious traffic and enhance overall policing. Police Commissioner B Dayananda and Joint Commissioner MN Anucheth offered a rare behind-the-scenes look into the city's high-tech command centre and the tools powering smarter enforcement. At the heart of this tech-forward approach are two key platforms: ASTRAM (Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Traffic Management) and VANKi (Visual Aerial Network for Knowledgeable Insights). (Also Read: Nikhil Kamath says metro work near his Bengaluru home has dragged on for 10 years) The ASTRAM system, built on AI and big data, processes inputs from over 1,500 CCTV cameras, traffic apps, and ground intelligence to monitor 21 high-density corridors covering more than 3,500 kilometers. It tracks real-time disruptions, from accidents to protests, and pushes alerts to platforms like Google Maps, enabling quicker rerouting and emergency response. At 165 key junctions, AI-based adaptive traffic signals now dynamically adjust signal times based on real-time traffic volume and historical patterns. The system has cut average wait times by up to 22 per cent and reduced the need for manual intervention at signals from 40 per cent to just 5 per cent. For aerial insights, VANKi drones are deployed during peak hours, providing bird's-eye visuals of gridlocks and hidden bottlenecks, such as vehicle breakdowns not visible at ground level. Enforcement, too, is going digital. The Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) uses AI to detect violations like helmetless riding or skipping seat belts. While fines are automatically generated, officers manually review them to avoid errors. With 99.9 per cen of payments now cashless, the police claim this has nearly eliminated corruption in traffic enforcement. To build accountability and trust, every traffic cop now wears a body camera, while patrol vehicles are tracked with IoT-enabled GPS. According to Anucheth, these devices have helped resolve most citizen complaints — often showing the officer in the right. The police also run a priority ambulance service, where emergency vehicles can request green corridor support via an app-based system called E-Path. 'Every day, about 20 to 22 ambulances benefit from this,' said Anucheth. The officers also showcased the newly opened Bangalore Traffic Museum, designed to educate citizens about road safety and the city's evolving traffic management systems. The podcast offered a rare peek into how India's tech capital is attempting to use data, automation, and transparency to untangle its civic challenges — starting with the streets. (Also Read: Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, four held for questioning)
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Bomb hoax delays Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express by 3 hours, Four held for questioning
A bomb scare onboard the Bengaluru-bound Karnataka Express (train number 12628) triggered a swift response from railway and law enforcement authorities in the early hours of Sunday, leading to a three-hour delay in the train's journey, reported The Times of India. The false alarm, however, turned out to be a hoax, with no explosives found. Also Read - Australian man calls Bengaluru slang 'pointless', internet claps back with cultural origins According to the report, the alert was raised at around 1:05 am when Solapur police received a distress call via emergency helpline 112. The caller alleged that a bomb was present in the rear general coach of the Karnataka Express. Acting promptly, the Divisional Security Control Room (DSCR) in Solapur alerted multiple agencies, including the Government Railway Police (GRP) in Bengaluru, Kalaburagi City and Rural Police, and senior railway officials. As the train reached Wadi station at 1:21 am, a joint team comprising GRP personnel, local police, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) boarded the train and carried out a meticulous inspection of the suspect coach. No suspicious object or material was recovered during the initial search. The caller, identified as Deep Singh Rathore from Jalaun district in Uttar Pradesh, was found traveling in the general coach from New Delhi to Bengaluru. He accused three fellow passengers—Ganesh Magar (24) from Nepal, Mintu Kumar (25) from Bihar, and Shiv Thapa (26) from Karnataka—of carrying illegal items or explosives. Rathore claimed the trio had briefly seized his mobile phone after he recorded a video of them, returning it later at Solapur with the help of RPF personnel. The accused, however, stated that they had taken the phone only to delete the video as they were being filmed without consent. Also Read - Bengaluru resident wants Donald Trump to intervene in Ejipura flyover delay, offers to name it 'MAGA Trump Flyover' All four men were detained for questioning. To ensure passenger safety, the Kalaburagi Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), led by Shri Sharanappa and accompanied by sniffer dog Rani, conducted a thorough inspection of the entire train at 2:25 am. The train was declared safe at 4:15 am, and a formal clearance certificate was issued. The Karnataka Express resumed its journey at 4:34 am, causing a delay of more than three hours for hundreds of passengers bound for Bengaluru. Central Railway has strongly cautioned travelers against spreading false information or making unfounded claims, warning that such actions are liable for strict legal action. The GRP is continuing its investigation into the incident.
