
Ismail Kandakere bags Coovercolly Pushpalatha Chandrashekar Media Award
The report narrates the harrowing story of Meena (16), an SSLC student from Mutlu village in Somwarpet taluk, who was brutally murdered by her fiancé Monnanda Prakash on May 10, 2024. Although the couple was engaged in April, Meena had opposed an early marriage to continue her education. Enraged by her resistance, Prakash allegedly attacked and killed her with a sickle at her home. Ismail's story went beyond the crime to highlight Meena's dire living conditions. Her house, dilapidated and leaking during the rains, symbolized the poverty the family endured. The report resonated across Karnataka, prompting public outrage and swift political response.
Moved by the family's plight, Madikeri MLA Dr. Mantar Gowda visited the bereaved parents in May 2024 and pledged to build a new home for them at an estimated cost of Rs8.5 lakh. True to his word, the house was completed and handed over to Meena's parents on May 9, a day before her first death anniversary. The award was instituted by senior journalist Coovercolly Indresh, along with his siblings Savitha, Sundresh, and Chandresh, in memory of their parents B.V. Chandrashekar and Pushpalatha. A corpus fund of Rs1 lakh was deposited with the Kodagu Press Club to support the annual award. The recognition includes a cash prize of Rs5,000 and a memento. Ravishankar Nanaiah, Special Officer of Kodagu University, presented the award during a ceremony held at Patrika Bhavan in Madikeri .
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Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Bhopal man duped in online class scam; loan taken using his OTP and documents
BHOPAL: In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the popularity of online classes surged. However, cyber fraudsters are now exploiting this trend to carry out scams. In a recent incident, fraudsters duped a parent by posing as representatives of an online learning platform and took out a loan in his name using his documents and OTP. Acting on the complaint, Bhopal Cyber-crime Branch registered a case and started investigations. Police said that the complainant, Kishore Kumar , a resident of the Ratibad area in Bhopal, was contacted about a month ago by individuals claiming to offer online education. During the conversation, they offered an annual package of Rs17,000 for online classes for his child. They requested Rs150 for registration, along with copies of the Aadhaar card, PAN card, and an OTP sent to his mobile. Believing the offer to be genuine, Kishore Kumar submitted all the documents and shared the OTP. He was then asked to pay Rs2,500 as an initial fee. After the payment, the online classes for his child began. Fraud Discovered After a Month: About a month later, Kishore received a call from a private finance company informing him that a loan of Rs17,000 was active in his name, and the first EMI bounced. Shocked, he contacted the online class providers, who told him that they already received the full payment from the finance company and that he should continue paying the instalments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Redefine Your Future with a Top Online MBA JAIN Online Learn More Undo Until then, Kishore had no knowledge that a loan was taken out in his name. When he demanded cancellation of the loan, the fraudsters assured him it would be done the next day by 11 AM. However, their phones were switched off the following day and have remained unreachable since. Distressed by the incident, Kishore Kumar approached the Cyber-crime Branch and filed a complaint. Based on the complaint, the police registered a case on charges of fraud and initiated an investigation. Police have once again urged citizens to remain cautious while sharing personal documents and OTPs online.


Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Faridabad police custody abuse: Haryana told to pay ₹50k to victim after 4 years
Four years after a differently-abled man was stripped, photographed, and filmed in a semi-naked state while in police custody, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has ruled that the state government must pay ₹50,000 as compensation for the severe violation of his human rights. The commission highlighted that the Haryana home department failed to respond to the show cause notice issued against the police officials involved. (HT File) The man, a Chartered Accountant (CA), was subjected to public humiliation and mistreatment by police officials in Faridabad. The incident occurred on May 24, 2021, after the man was arrested in connection with a matrimonial dispute filed by his wife. She had lodged a criminal case against him under Sections 406 and 498-A of the IPC, alleging harassment and dowry-related offenses. Later, the man filed a divorce petition, which was later withdrawn during conciliation proceedings. However, his wife subsequently registered another FIR in June 2021, accusing him of stalking and criminal intimidation. In its order on July 16, the full bench of the HHRC, comprising chairperson justice Lalit Batra (retd) and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, said that two police officials, an assistant sub-inspector and a constable rank official, had compelled the man to undress in a public area of the police premises, despite his requests to be allowed privacy. 'The man described the experience as 'akin to a living death,' subjected to severe humiliation in full public view,' reads the order. According to HHRC, the action of the police officials involved — ASI Jagwati and constable Rakesh Kumar — amounted to a blatant violation of the man's right to dignity and privacy, both protected under human rights laws. The commission found that the police had no legitimate reason to force the man to undress and strip him of his clothing in front of others. Such an act, without legal or medical justification, directly contravenes established custodial guidelines. The commission also expressed concern over the unauthorised videography and photography of the man in a semi-nude condition by his brother-in-law who later circulated them on social media, further exacerbating the violation of his dignity and privacy. 'This act, carried out in the presence of others and without lawful necessity or judicial sanction, is a direct affront to the complainant's right to dignity and privacy,' the HHRC's order states. The commission's findings, backed by an internal investigation, indicated that the police officials failed to discharge their duties properly. It also noted that the man, being an educated and professional individual, would not have voluntarily undressed in such a public setting. The HHRC pointed out that the incident occurred under clear duress, highlighting the negligence and misconduct of the police officials. In its final ruling, the commission ordered the Haryana home department to compensate the victim with ₹50,000, acknowledging the violation of his rights and the lasting emotional trauma caused by the incident. However, the commission clarified that this compensation is not meant to represent the full extent of the harm suffered by the man but serves as a symbolic acknowledgment of the severe breach of his dignity. The commission also highlighted that the Haryana home department failed to respond to the show cause notice issued against the police officials involved, further questioning the state's commitment to addressing custodial misconduct.


Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Human rights panel directs Haryana to pay man ₹50K
Four years after a physically disabled man was stripped and videographed while in Faridabad police custody in a case of matrimonial dispute, the Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has taken strong exception and directed the state home department to pay ₹50,000 as compensation to the man for violation of right to life. The fine is to be recovered from the guilty police officials, officials said. (FILE) In its order on July 16, the full bench of HHRC, comprising chairperson justice Lalit Batra (retd) and members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, said an impartial inquiry conducted by the commission's investigation wing confirmed that two police officials, an assistant sub-inspector and a constable rank official, had compelled the man, a chartered accountant, to undress in custody. Such cruel and degrading treatment, particularly of a person with disability, is utterly unacceptable in a civilised society, the commission said. 'This incident challenges the very spirit of constitutional values and the notion of human dignity. No individual, regardless of the accusations against them, deserves to be subjected to such humiliation and public exposure. This act is a direct violation of the right to life and personal liberty enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution,' the order said. The man, a resident of Faridabad, was arrested on May 24, 2021, in connection with a criminal case filed by his wife. In his complaint to HHRC, the man alleged that while he was in custody at Saran police station, Faridabad, he was stripped, photographed and filmed in a semi-naked condition. The visuals were circulated on social media. The incident, he said, caused him extreme mental trauma and public humiliation. He described the experience 'as akin to a living death' and said that the psychological trauma continues to weigh heavily on him, pushing him into a state of deep depression. According to the findings in the inquiry report of the director of investigation of the commission, it was found that on May 25, 2021, a brother-in-law of the complainant was allowed to take photos and record a video of the man while he was confined in the police lock-up in a semi-nude condition. 'The images and video footage were later circulated on social media, compounding the complainant's trauma, exposing him to public ridicule and causing deep psychological harm. The act of allowing civilians to capture visuals of a detainee, particularly in a compromised and vulnerable state, reflects a complete breakdown of custodial protocol and constitutes a direct violation of the complainant's right to privacy and dignity,' the report said. Police not only failed in their duty to protect the person in their custody, but actively enabled the public dissemination of humiliating content, resulting in irreversible reputational and emotional damage to the complainant, it added. In its order, HHRC said that the 'cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment' entitles the complainant to judicial protection, redressal and appropriate compensation under constitutional and human rights law. Puneet Arora, HHRC public relations officer, said the home department of the Haryana government has been ordered to pay ₹50,000 as compensation to the victim. This amount is to be recovered equally from the guilty police officials, he said. 'This compensation is not intended to represent the full measure of the harm suffered by the complainant, but is awarded as a symbolic acknowledgement of the violation of his human rights and human dignity,' the order said. 'Police custody must not turn into... torture and shame. This order sends a clear message that the system will not tolerate custodial abuse or the misuse of power,' Arora said.