Image for representation purposes.
| Photo Credit: Dado Ruvic
1. Reporting cybercrime within golden hour on 112 is a challenge for citizens
On August 20, Netra Kiran, a private firm employee, received 35 calls from over 30 numbers within an hour. They were all spam calls where people claiming to be from the ‘Finance Recovery Department’ harassed her to transfer money. To report the harassment, she called 112 every few minutes. But upon being redirected to the cybercrime helpline, the calls would get cut after a minute without any response.
Like Ms. Kiran, many people who dial 112 to report cybercrimes often fail to get a response. While this happens on 112 calls, citizens have reported that even when they dial 1930, the dedicated cybercrime helpline, it takes two to three tries to talk to an operator. The police officials attributed this to an increase in the number of calls to the helpline.
2. Rates of premium liquor come down in Karnataka
In a mixed bag of news for tipplers in Karnataka, the rates of some of the premium liquor in Karnataka have come down, while some lower-end liquor has become expensive from August 27. The revision of rates follows rationalisation of slabs by the State Government that is expected to not only bring down the cost of some popular brands, but is also increase excise revenue to the government.
The rates have been revised following changes to the Karnataka Excise (Excise Duties and Fees) Rules and are “applicable to brandy, whiskey, gin, rum and such other liquors, but not for beer, wine, toddy and fenny.”
3. No benefit from Gruha Lakshmi yet, Mythri pension also not regular, say transwomen in Karnataka
In July, the Karnataka government announced that the Gruha Lakshmi scheme, under which ₹2,000 is being given to the female head of houses, will be extended to transgender women too. Many transwomen applied on the portal. But this month, most of them did not receive the benefits.
The government had mandated the possession of transgender (TG) card for transwomen to apply for this scheme. However, officials from the Department of Women and Child Development said that many of them have not been able to avail it due to non-availability of TG cards. Transgender persons also say that the Mythri scheme under which they receive a monthly pension has not reached them properly the last few months.
4. Chikkamagaluru CCF suspends Kalasa DRFO for making money through fake entry tickets for trekkers
Chikkamagaluru circle Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Upendra Pratap Singh has suspended Chandan Gowda D., Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) in the Kalasa range, on the charge of misusing the tickets meant for trekkers visiting Ballalarayana Durga and Bandaje Falls.
The Tourism Department had introduced entry tickets for trekkers visiting Ballalarayana Durga and Bandaje Falls, at ₹250 per person. Chandan Gowda allegedly created fake entry tickets, asking trekkers to send money to the account of a woman in Mudigere. Senior officers found out about the transfer of ₹9,105 to the private account.
5. Tusker dies of electrocution in Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka
A tusker was found dead in an areca farm at Kolagame village in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka on August 27. The animal is said to have died of electrocution.
The local people found the body of the tusker and informed officers of the Chikkamagaluru division of Forest Department. The veterinarians estimated the tusker’s age to be more than 40 years.