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Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Four cheat retired bank manager with rejected currency notes tale, held in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Police arrested four men, including a constable from Hiriyur in Chitradurga, on charges of duping a retired bank employee of Rs 15 lakh. They promised him currency notes worth Rs 50 lakh, which were allegedly rejected by RBI due to technical issues. The accused are Nagaraj, a head constable attached to Hiriyur police station, Kiran Kumar, Gajendra, and Prabhu, all from Chitradurga. According to police, the accused convinced the 65-year-old that they possessed currency notes of different denominations printed by RBI, but they were rejected due to some technical flaws. "Those flaws cannot be noticed. The currency notes can be circulated without any difficulty," they told the retired bank manager. Police constable Nagaraj was not among the suspects in contact with the victim. Trusting them, he gave Rs 15 lakh in different instalments between Feb 2024 and this May. "On May 24, Nagaraj called me saying they arrested Kiran Kumar for carrying the rejected currencies to supply to me. He said if I give money, he'd release Kiran and not arrest me," the manager told police. By now, the manager was convinced the suspects were duping him. He filed a complaint with Peenya police station and four suspects were arrested. Two more suspects, including a man who introduced the gang to the manager, are elusive. "The elusive man was a tenant of the victim until last year. He found that the retired manager had good money and could easily be duped, convincing him about the rejected currencies. Once a bank manager, the victim was aware of the existence of such currency notes. Also, he knew such rejected currency notes were destroyed by RBI itself. Still, the suspects managed to hoodwink him," an officer said.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
From Sholay to Bengaluru South: Can a name change revive Ramanagara's real estate market?
In real estate, branding matters and a name can significantly shape investor perception, market value, and demand. Ramanagara, located about 50 km from Bengaluru, last saw major real estate attention during the release of the iconic film Sholay, which was shot amid its rocky terrain. Now, with the Karnataka Cabinet approving the renaming of Ramanagara district to 'Bengaluru South', experts are cautiously optimistic about renewed interest in the area. While the rebranding could raise land prices, especially in emerging zones like Kanakapura and Bidadi, where property values are already escalating, experts warn that a name change alone isn't enough. The real, sustained impact will depend on how infrastructure development unfolds in the region. On May 22, the Karnataka Cabinet approved the renaming of neighbouring Ramanagara district as 'Bengaluru South'. Ramanagara, about 50 km from Bengaluru, will remain as the headquarters of the renamed district, which will also consist of Magadi, Kanakapura, Channapatna and Harohalli taluks. Also Read: Bengaluru Real Estate: Here's why Kanakapura Road is likely to see major real estate appreciation in 2025 Ramanagara was originally part of the larger Bengaluru district. In 1986, it came under the newly formed Bengaluru rural district. In the same year, Doddaballapura, Devanahalli, Nelamangala, Hosakote, Magadi, Kanakapura and Channapatna taluks were brought under Bengaluru rural district while the remaining became Bengaluru urban district. Later, in August 2007, then-Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy established it as a separate district. The new district included the taluks of Ramanagara, Channapatna, Harohalli, Kanakapura, and Magadi. Local brokers say land prices in Ramanagara have crossed ₹1 crore per acre, rising from ₹50–70 lakh in the last couple of years. "Channapatna is still lagging behind in terms of growth, but Bidadi is witnessing significant development due to its status as an industrial area. Most of the appreciation is happening towards Bidadi, which serves as a connecting point between Bengaluru and Ramanagara. However, residential development in Bidadi is still very limited. Plot prices there typically start at around ₹30–40 lakh," Kiran Kumar, vice president of Hanu Reddy Realty, said. In Channapatna, land is currently selling at over ₹60 lakh per acre, boosted by infrastructure projects like the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway. Also Read: Apple India leases 8000 sq ft of retail space in Bengaluru for ₹2 crore annual rent as Foxconn facility nears completion Real estate experts say that, given its many positive connotations, the 'Bengaluru' tag will draw more attention from real estate developers, end-users, and investors in the long term. "If the region witnesses additional infrastructure infusions post this renaming, we can expect considerable momentum to aggregate here in the future. This will have an upward influence on overall demand for housing and commercial real estate, which will also reflect in prices," Ashish Sharma, City Head – Bengaluru, ANAROCK Group, said. However, local brokers point out that the proposed renaming of Ramanagara to Bengaluru South may have minimal impact. "Just changing the name won't bring significant results. It needs real infrastructure development," Kumar said. "As a realtor, I feel the name change alone won't drive much market movement unless we see infrastructure projects coming up that will drive commercial real estate in the area." While the key is infrastructure, Sharma said the renaming may boost the overall perception of and sentiment for this region, especially in areas like Kanakapura. Kanakapura Road is already experiencing significant growth and is emerging as one of the most affordable real estate hubs in South Bengaluru. Land prices close to the main road have reached around ₹2 crore per acre. Apartment projects along Kanakapura Road are priced between ₹1–1.2 crore for 2BHK units. For instance, Provident Park Square apartments are selling for ₹70–90 lakh, while Casagrand 3BHK units are priced at around ₹1.4 crore, Kumar pointed out. Land costs in the area vary from ₹3000-15,000 per sq ft for plots and ₹2-15 crore per acre for land parcels. "The apartment cost in the area is about ₹7000-12,000 per sq ft with Grade A developments typically between ₹10,000-14,000 per sq ft," Sunil Singh, director of RealtyCorp, said. In gated developments like Prestige Primrose, Singh said 2BHK apartments, launched about a year ago, were sold at ₹1 crore from ₹75 lakh last year. Similarly, prices for 1 BHK have jumped to ₹75 lakh from ₹60-65 lakh last year.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Ancient inscriptions and hero stones discovered in Mandya district
Four hero stones and two other inscriptions that were previously undiscovered have been unearthed in Nagamangala taluk of Mandya district recent. R. Kiran Kumar, assistant professor at Government First Grade College, K.R. Pet, who is working on his PhD thesis titled 'Monumental Sculptures of Mandya District', and Mohammed Kaleem Ullah, a retired teacher, made the discoveries during a recent field visit. Mr. Kiran Kumar said, 'Two hero stone inscriptions belong to the Ganga period and the other two are from the Hoysala period. With reference to the inscriptions, he said one pertains to a land grant inscription from the Hoysala period and the other is from the Vijayanagar period. The first hero stone inscription was found in a field in Byadarahalli, part of Nagamangala Kasaba. The inscription on the stone is dated to the 10th century CE and belongs to the reign of the Ganga king Satyavakya (Racha Malla), probably between 974-985 CE. Another hero stone inscription was found on the road to Halathi and is dated to the 10th century CE. Based on the script and stylistic features, it is believed to be from the Ganga period, although only a few letters remain, and the rest are eroded, according to Mr. Kiran Kumar. The third hero stone inscription, found in the forested Ankanahalli of Bellur hobli, and the term 'Beeragallu' (hero stone) appears visibly and this is attributed to 11th to 12th century CE. The fourth inscription, which was found in the same village on the road leading to Kalinganahalli, is inferred to be religious in nature and belongs to the Hoysala period. It features symbols of the sun, moon, conch, and chakra, and consists of fourteen lines. In addition, a Vijayanagar period inscription was found in the house of Vijayalakshmi of Katriguppe village in Bellur hobli. Half of the stone is buried in soil, and only the upper part of the inscription is visible. Another inscription was also discovered at Bireeshwara Halli. Mr. Kiran Kumar said that Nagamangala has been historically an important centre and has over the years yielded 185 inscriptions, including four from the Ganga dynasty, 46 from the Hoysala dynasty, 19 from the Vijayanagar empire, three from the Mysore rulers, and 113 other inscriptions in the region, he added.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Bengaluru wakes up to flooding yet again after heavy overnight rains, yellow alert in city till May 24
Commuters in Bengaluru in the early hours on Monday (May 19, 2025) were welcomed by waterlogged roads in parts of the city after a moderate to heavy spell of rains lashed the city on Sunday (May 18) night. Layouts, particularly, Sri Sai Layout in Horamavu and Rainbow Drive Layout (RBD), continued to reel under flooding. Residents have been grappling to clear the water out of homes at Sai Layout, and at RBD, a few roads are inundated. City received 105.5 mm rainfall According to IMD data recorded at 8:30 am on May 19, Bengaluru city received 105.5 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours. HAL Airport recorded 78.3 mm, while Kempegowda International Airport matched the city's total with 105.5 mm. In comparison, May 2022 saw 114.6 mm of rainfall, while the all-time record for May stands at 153.9 mm, set on May 6, 1909. As per data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), several locations in Bengaluru recorded over 100 mm of rainfall between 8:30 a.m. on May 18 and 7 p.m. on May 19. These include Kengeri (132 mm), KSNDMC GEO Campus (125.8 mm), Somashettihalli (119.5 mm), Madanayakanahalli (116.5 mm), and Yelahanka Chowdeshwari (103.5 mm). Traffic snarls owing to water stagnation At Koramangala, Indiranagar, Silk Board junctions, Electronics City Flyover and in other areas, traffic piled up in the wee hours as water stagnation slowed down the movement of vehicles. Kiran Kumar, a motorist, said that most of the roads between Kanakapura to Sarjapura he passed through on Monday morning were flooded and traffic snarls delayed his journey for nearly one hour. Mr. Kumar said, 'Even before the arrival of monsoon, this is the situation the city is witnessing. What would be the plight during the rainy season?' Many parts of the city also witnessed power cuts as poles were uprooted and transmission cables broke. Several residents spent hours in the dark until power supply resumed. A senior BBMP official said teams have been dispatched for flood response and they are pumping out water in many places. In Sai Layout, BBMP Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao on May 18 issued a slew of directions to ease the problem and find a permanent fix. Protocol to ease traffic As the waterlogging was reported on many roads, the South Division Traffic Police were issued a protocol to be carried out to ease traffic on the affected areas. The protocol directed the police to rope in motors to pump out water and deploy more force to manage the traffic wherever required. The jurisdictional officials have been asked to divert the traffic to adjacent roads from the main road and stop vehicles from plying on flyovers whenever required. This move, according to the officials, is to prevent further off-roading and traffic jam on flyover. Traffic personnel have been instructed to make use of the Road Easy app, Google Maps and FM radio to relay traffic updates.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Stamp unveiled to mark 125 years of Indian Institute of Astrophysics' Kodaikanal solar observatory
Bengaluru: Honouring India's solar research legacy, the department of posts Friday released a commemorative stamp marking the 125th anniversary of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory , run by Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). The stamp was unveiled by former Isro chairman and IIA governing council chairperson AS Kiran Kumar, Karnataka chief post master general S Rajendra Kumar and IIA director Annapurni Subramaniam. The event highlighted the observatory's twin-domed structure. The right one houses a 6-inch telescope, first installed at Madras Observatory in 1850, remodelled in 1898, and relocated to Kodaikanal in 1900 by then director Michie Smith. The left dome's 8-inch telescope was shifted from Madras in 1930 and is now used for public outreach. "The stamp features a high-resolution H-alpha image of the Sun taken on May 6, 2024 at the observatory, along with an inset of 'butterfly diagram' on the logo, tracking sunspot activity from 1904 to 2020," IIA said in a release. "As a child, I collected stamps and first-day covers. Humanity has always strived to look beyond what the eye can see. Missions like Aditya-L1 continue the pursuit. IIA has upheld this legacy through its persistent solar observations. The 125 years of data collected by Kodaikanal Solar Observatory are invaluable for future astronomical research," Kiran Kumar said. — Sutapa Dey
