RW News Network

Shop and house burgled in Sector 7; another home looted in Sector 2!

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Shop and house burgled in Sector 7; another home looted in Sector 2! 1
Shop and house burgled in Sector 7; another home looted in Sector 2! 2

 

Pots and crafts shop burgled in Sector 7

A shop was broken into on the night of May 24, 2019. Strangely, the police complaint was registered only on June 18, 2019. The story goes that the Pots & Crafts shop on the ground floor of 5th Main in Sector 7, HSR Layout, was burgled on the night of May 24 between 8pm and 10am on May 25. Shop owner Manoj Thalessery noticed the theft when he opened his shop at 10am and found that the front door was ajar. Inside, he found that his Samsung S10 tablet and JBL Extreme bluetooth speaker were missing, both valued at Rs 45,000. The resident of Bannerghatta Road has filed the theft complaint at the HSR Layout police station which is investigating the case.

House burgled in Sector 2

On June 16, at around 8am, 48-year-old Shankar Balan, a resident of 24th Cross, 27th Main in Sector 2, locked his house and left for Chennai. When he came back two days later at 2pm, the front door was intact. However, the backdoor lock was broken and someone had entered his house and stolen silver articles and watches. The cops have registered a case of theft, house-breaking and trespassing.

Sector 7 witnessed a housebreak too!
Five days later, on June 21, a house in Sector 7 was burgled and this time around, not only was a two-wheeler stolen but also laptop, cash, and watches.

According to B Kiran Kumar Reddy (26), a resident of 8th Main, 20th Cross, he left home at 11pm on June 21 to go to his relative’s house. When he returned on June 23 at around 7.30am, he found that somebody had come on to the terrace of the house and opened his front door to steal one Dell laptop, Rs 12000 cash, two Fastrack watches, his mobile charger and headset and also his bike key that helped the thief to drive away his Bajaj Discovery kept at the entrance of his house.

 

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Cops arrest person selling stolen laptops on 24th Main

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Cops arrest person selling stolen laptops on 24th Main 3
Cops arrest person selling stolen laptops on 24th Main 4

 

Based on a tipoff, the HSR Layout police swung into action on June 24 at around 6pm. The place was near Anjaneya swamy temple on 24th Main in Sector Agara, Sector 1.

Head constable Sardar Pasha took his men to arrest a person who was allegedly trying to sell stolen laptops in a cloth bag. When he saw the cops approaching him, he ran but was soon caught by the khaki-clad folks.

Upon enquiry, the man revealed his name as Govindappa, aged 45 years, and a resident of a village in Kolar district. The police recovered two Dell laptops and one Acer. When asked about their ownership, the accused was not to provide a satisfactory answer.

Suspecting them to be stolen, the cops took him to the station for further investigation.

If proven guilty, the accused could face a jail term lasting three years or a stiff fine or both.

 

Support Community Journalism

For over seven years, Residents Watch has given information you can use and also news that created an impact on ground worth lakhs and crores. Now, we want to continue this endeavour further by no longer relying on advertising alone for sustenance with citizen-funded journalism. Please help us to help you: Donate. Click here to know more.

Contractor & house owner charged for causing labourer’s death due to negligence in Sector 2

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Contractor & house owner charged for causing labourer's death due to negligence in Sector 2 5
Contractor & house owner charged for causing labourer's death due to negligence in Sector 2 6

 

On June 19, a labourer died a horrible death on 23rd Cross off 24th Main in Sector 2, HSR Layout. The incident occurred at an under construction building around 12.40pm and the police complaint was lodged the same day at 4.30pm.

The building was coming up on plot number 275. On June 19, at around 9am, building contractor Gopi took 22-year-old labourer Maruthi to Venkatesh, the house owner. The proprietor apparently asked Maruthi to do the plastering work on the fourth floor along with Maruthi’s elder brother Gangareddy and younger brother Anjaneya.

However, Anjaneya fell from the fourth floor while plastering and was immediately rushed to NH Narayana Hospital in Sector 3 for emergency treatment. However, the injury was too grievous and the labourer died.

A case of death by negligence is registered against Venkatesh and Gopi as no helmet or safety belt was provided to the labourers for the plastering work during the construction. And neither was a net used to protect accidental falls. This showed callousness on the part of the building contractor and house owner, according to complainant Maruthi. For this offence, if convicted, the accused could be in jail for two years or with fine or both.

This is a serious issue as many building constructions in residential areas don’t follow these safety parameters. Only when someone dies do we wake up to realise the wrongs we have done and snuffed out the lives of innocents. It’s time all the house owners and building contractors ensured that all safety precautions are taken while a structure is being erected.

Liquor stores raided in Sectors 1 and 7 for allowing drinking within the premises

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Liquor stores raided in Sectors 1 and 7 for allowing drinking within the premises 7
Liquor stores raided in Sectors 1 and 7 for allowing drinking within the premises 8

 

Two liquor stores were raided by the cops for allowing drinking near the cash counter as they went against the excise rules of the state.

The first raid was conducted on Manjunath Bar & Restaurant on 24th Main in Sector 1 between 6pm and 6.50pm. The alleged accused is Lokesh, a 39-year-old resident of a village in Mandya district.

All the liquor at the cash counter was seized, including one Old Tavern (90ml), one Original Choice (180ml), and one Royal Stag (180ml).

A case of violating the rules of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965 under section 36 (b) is registered against the outlet for missing the excise licence.

SECOND RAID
The next raid happened on June 17, a day after the previous police action. This time around, it was Liquors City on Mangammanapalya Main Road in Sector 7. The raid was conducted between 8.30pm and 10.15pm. The alleged accused is helper Prakash Gowda (27).

The liquor seized from the cash counter included one Old Tavern (90ml), one Original Choice (180ml), one Royal Stag (180ml). He was arrested for making space for customers to allow drinking in the retail premises, which was against the excise rules.

Police raid HSR pub in Sector 3 for violating noise norms after residents complain

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Police raid HSR pub in Sector 3 for violating noise norms after residents complain 9
Police raid HSR pub in Sector 3 for violating noise norms after residents complain 10

 

On June 17, the HSR Layout cops received complaints from citizens that a pub was playing loud music late at night. The calls began coming at around 11pm about the Shift Pub and Lounge bar on 14th Main in Sector 3.

On June 18 at around 1am, the cops visited the pub and found the place was playing music with amplifiers without a valid licence. For violating the noise norms and not holding the necessary permissions, the cops have filed a public nuisance complaint against 32-year-old businessman Jugal Kishor Sharma, a resident of Jayanagar.

Upon receiving the complaint, the court asked the cops to investigate the matter under IPC 290 (public nuisance) and 103 under the Karnataka Police Act 1963 for violating the licensing norms. This is a rare case where a pub in HSR Layout was charged with noise pollution. Residents feel that if the cops continue to be proactive, much of the noise pollution in the neighbourhood can be curbed.

If you, dear reader are facing such noise pollution, call the cops until they register an FIR and take action like they have done with this case. That’s the only way, we can put an end to this terrible practice.

Flesh racket busted in Sector 2

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Flesh racket busted in Sector 2 11
Flesh racket busted in Sector 2 12


A two-year-old beauty parlour-cum-massage centre was found to be the hub of prostitution. The parlour owners are facing the charge of violating the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1956 under various sections in addition to being charged under the Indian Penal Code for trafficking persons (IPC 370).

On June 20, 2019, based on a tip off, the HSR Layout police raided Clover Unisex Salon & Wellness Spa on 27th Main, 25th C Cross in Sector 2. The operation was conducted between 5pm and 7.30pm under the guidance of inspector Raghavendra SR, and the complaint was lodged at 7.45pm. Businessman Seiminthang Haokip, a 30-year-old from Manipur was arrested and two 25-year-old girls from Manipur working for him in the flesh racket were rescued. Four condoms and Rs 1000 cash were recovered during the raid.

The raid was conducted in the presence of eye witnesses as per law to ensure that the proceedings were objectively recorded. The charge is that the proprietor was running a flesh racket in the guise of a beauty salon.

Open since 2017, according to an online listing, the spa claims to be a “top player in the category of Body Massage Centres in Bangalore.”

Woman files rape charge after a man sleeps with her and later refuses to stay with her

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Woman files rape charge after a man sleeps with her and later refuses to stay with her 13
rape in hsr layout

 

This is one internet romance gone wrong. A girl meets a stranger online and gets so comfortable with him that she even has sex with him when he repeatedly promises to live-in with her. However, when the deed is done, the man breaks off all ties with her.

The incident occurred between June 3 and June 5, 2019 and the police complaint was lodged much later on June 25, 2019. The place where the relationship was allegedly consummated was Harihara apartment in Sector 6, HSR Layout. On May 16, 2019, 30-year-old software engineer Dhruthi VS (name changed to protect identity) , a resident of a PG accommodation in Whitefield, became friends online with one Rama Reddy (29), also a software engineer and resident of Harihara Enclave in IAS Officers colony in Sector 6.

Later, romance allegedly blossomed between the two. Thereafter, on June 3, 2019, Rama invited Dhruthi to meet him in his apartment in HSR where he asked her to get physical with him. Apparently, she refused at first but later gave in after he promised to live-in with her.

However, after the deed was done, Rama allegedly blocked Dhruthi’s phone number, indicating that he was sewering all ties with her. Citing a case of rape and cheating, Dhruthi filed a case in Whitefield police station which was later transferred to HSR Layout division as the alleged act was committed here. The cops have registered a case of rape and cheating and are investigating.

Cycle lane project in HSR Layout halted indefinitely!

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Cycle lane project in HSR Layout halted indefinitely! 14

Almost ten months ago, we wrote that the much-touted cycle lane project for HSR Layout was delayed due to non-payment of bills. While only one bill is cleared, the rest of the bills are pending clearance. The reason is that the Department of Urban Transport (DULT) only cleared the bill for the work that was originally given to the contractor. However, the project work later involved doing up the pavements and drains, which escalated the original project cost and required a revised plan.

It was merely a practical decision. When the project was mooted in 2011, the drains and pavements were fine. However, when the track was being executed five years later, the drains and pavements needed a complete overhaul. Without these in shape, a cycle track did not make any sense. Which is why, the then additional chief secretary and DULT commissioner agreed to revise the design and budget. But now, with a new ACS and DULT commissioner, the project is back to square one as their lower-rung officers are yet to submit the revised design and budget estimates.  

In the meanwhile, an overzealous contractor who was assured by the then DULT commissioner and ACS took up the additional work of the drains and footpaths and even finished two-thirds of the lane project. However, when the bills were sent to DULT, they were rejected because the footpaths and drains were not part of the original plan.

This beats the citizens, because it is just a question of balancing the books. The money that DULT was supposed to give should now be given by BBMP for the additional works, if budgeting is really the constraint. However, sources tell us that the technical team at DULT is not keen on proceeding with the project as they have other priorities in mind. While both the additional chief secretary and DULT commissioners have changed, the problem is not with them; it’s with the people lower down the ladder. 

“One bill is still pending clearance,” says Panduranga, the contractor of the HSR project. “Another bill is yet to be submitted by us. The project is in limbo for one year now because DULT doesn’t seem to be interested in the HSR project. The misunderstanding between the original plan of 2011 was cleared in 2016 by then ACS and the then DULT commissioner had agreed to include the drains and footpaths in the new plan, so that is not really the problem today. It’s just that the DULT officials are not interested in this project anymore due to reasons best known to them.” 

Kavitha Reddy, a resident of HSR Layout and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson has written to V Ponnuraj, the new commissioner at DULT. “I was given to understand that with the knowledge of local elected representatives and ACS (additional chief secretary), the scope of the work was extended to include drain works and pavements, but unfortunately that was not documented and approved by DULT,” says Reddy. “The contractor has however gone ahead with the new specification, but since DULT has raised objections and not released any approval or payment as per new specifications, the work is completely halted. If this prestigious and path breaking project of DULT has to make an impact, the new specifications have to be considered too. I have also raised this issue with ACS, BBMP Commissioner and DULT staff. If BBMP has to take the cost of new specifications, then the same has to be discussed with BBMP Commissioner and also ACS if additional funds can be released to DULT from Urban Development.”

The width of the cycle lanes were also reduced to accommodate more traffic on the roads from 2.5 metres to 2 metres, but the project itself is in suspended animation. If all goes well, the cycle track will come up on a 9.7 kilometre stretch of the following roads: 14th Main, 17th Cross, 19th Main and 27th Main. According to the plan, all the signboards on these roads will change. With the cycle track on one side, there will be pelican signals (pedestrian light controlled crossing on poles installed on the footpath) for easy movement. 

Two young women go missing in a week in Sector 7

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Two young women go missing in a week in Sector 7 15
Two young women go missing in a week in Sector 7 16

 

On June 11, a 25-year-old woman goes missing. Within a week, another young woman goes missing from the same area in Sector 7, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. The cops are investigating to see if there is a link to this or are these isolated incidents. More details follow…

FIRST INCIDENT
Sangeetha, a 25-year-old housewife and a native of Bellary and a resident of 3rd Cross, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar near Sector 7 went missing, according to her uncle Kantaswamy. On June 7, she came back to Bangalore from Bellary. On June 9, 2019, Kantaswamy and his wife step out to work and leave Sangeetha and her four-year-old daughter Shreya behind. Later, when Kantaswamy’s wife returns at 5.30pm, Sangeetha leaves home at 6pm, never to return. After enquiring with her relatives and realising that she had not reached their homes, a police complaint was lodged on June 11. The incident occurred on a Sunday. Cops believe that an argument between the women could have caused Sangeetha to step out of home in anger.

SECOND INCIDENT
On June 14, Yati Shankar Pandey (34) had an argument with his 30-year-old wife Divya. While he was sleeping, she left home at around 3.40am, never to return. He thought she would return after her anger simmered down like it happened in the last 3-4 times. However, she never did, causing alarm bells to ring. After waiting for two days, and enquiring about her whereabouts from her family members, he filed a police complaint on June 16. The couple was living in a flat in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar near Sector 7, HSR Layout.

Sewage Treatment Plant for HSR: BWSSB’s lies turn this into another stinker like KCDC!

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Sewage Treatment Plant for HSR: BWSSB's lies turn this into another stinker like KCDC! 17
Sewage Treatment Plant for HSR: BWSSB's lies turn this into another stinker like KCDC! 18

 

On a recent visit to Agara Lake by Santosh Hegde, the former Karnataka Lokayukta and head of the Lake Development Plan set up by the National Green Tribunal, he was exposed to the BWSSB’s lies. When he spotted sewage flowing in the stormwater drain abutting the lake, BWSSB officials admitted that the sewage treatment plant (STP) did not have a provision to let only treated water into the drain and lake. If this continues, the stink will be similar to the one that the residents are suffering from in the neighbouring Kudlu area due to the unscientific management of the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC).

Hegde was appalled by the “shoddy work” of the BWSSB and the massive drain in public money. He questioned how an STP can be built without a provision for treating water. He has written about BWSSB’s lies to the NGT, so that the top court can take action on this civic agency. 

“All those who were claiming victory on STP should know the fact that due to their hasty, unscientific and lack of understanding the lake system, it has lead to a disaster in our locality,” says resident and lake activist Kavitha Reddy. “Some of us opposed STP inside the Agara Lake as it was against the very Lake system, but a few residents went to court forcing back the STP. Some of us who were against the STP inside the lake withdraw the plea when the Lake Development Authority (LDA) promised that the land inside the lake will not be given as it’s against the NGT rules.”

BWSSB’s lies don’t stop there. According to those in the know, the civic agency converted an earlier 2MLD Membrane Tech plant into a 35MLD ordinary treatment plant. “They also lied to NGT that they will give some water to Agara Lake but never made a provision for it!” says Reddy. “This is a lesson to the few people who make claims on STP victory when it’s evident that they has done injustice not only to the lake but also to the locality that has to bear the stink of 35MLD sewage treatment plant!”

In a letter to Hegde, the Agara Lake Protection & Management Society (ALPMS) has asked them to take up the following issues on priority:

  1. Rajakaluve on 14th Main: BBMP has not de-silted or cleaned the Rajakaluve, due to which both the inlet and outlets of the Agara Lake are blocked. During heavy rains due to the blockage, the water flows back into the lake from the outlet
  2. Caving inn of Walking Track: Between Gate 1 and Gate 4 due to leakage in BWSSB underground drainage line, part of the jogging track in Agara Lake premises collapsed. Though fixed later, it still poses a danger to the lake and the visitors as the BWSSB has not owned up the issue which the residents believe is due to the failures of the Jakkasandra pumping station of BWSSB.
  3. Pending connection of the raw sewage line to manhole by BWSSB: BWSSB had agreed to complete the raw sewage line that opens near the lake inlet and goes till the manhole a few meters away. But it’s been pending for over 18 months, leading to sewage entering the inlet along with the rainwater.
  4. BWSSB STP: After this citizen group objected to the massive STP inside Agara Lake (replacing the Wetlands) highlighting that the lake’s rainwater has always been a source of good quantity water, LDA gave the lake land outside the lake on the other side of the road. Initially BWSSB was planning only a 2MLD Membrane Technology Plant. Now it is upgraded to 35MLD claiming that the treated water will be provided to Agara Lake. But the STP’s detailed project report (DPR) has no provision to let the treated water into the lake. When the lake land was taken by the BWSSB that claimed to treat the water (which is 0.5MLD evaporation) that will be provided to Agara Lake, letting the treated water directly into the same Rajakaluve that is carrying raw waste water defeats the purpose of the STP that is built using public money.
  5. Funding for maintenance: Agara Lake needs good maintenance and the funds allocated to LDA has to be transferred to Forest Dept who are responsible for the maintenance of the lake now.

 

Chevrolet car burns up under HSR flyover; car wasn’t maintained well!

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Chevrolet car burns up under HSR flyover; car wasn't maintained well! 19
Chevrolet car burns up under HSR flyover; car wasn't maintained well! 20

 

On Monday, Chevrolet Enjoy, a multi purpose vehicle launched in 2010, caught fire under the Agara flyover on Outer Ring Road. The HSR cops say that the air conditioned duct started to smell, alerting the six passengers who immediately got out of the vehicle and escaped an excruciating death. 

Driven by Shivanna, a businessman from Dommasandra, the incident occurred around 5pm on June 24, 2019. The fire force officials extinguished the fire within 20 minutes after receiving the complaint. Traffic was naturally disrupted as a large crowd gathered to witness the rare incident.

“The vehicle was old and wasn’t maintained well,” said one senior HSR cop.  “The AC duct started to smell, but they kept driving.” However, the driver stopped the car at the Agara bus stop when he noticed flames coming out of the bonnet. The vehicle wasn’t that old either as it was registered with the Electronic City RTO in 2016. Only a proper probe can reveal the details.

However, the cautionary note is that whenever you are driving, if you notice a burning smell, it’s best to get out of the car and save yourself, like the six passengers did in this case. Interestingly, cases like these are never recorded by the police as a First Information Report, be it traffic or crime, as cars burning up due to some fault, are not considered a criminal offence. “Only the insurance companies will probe the case. We just file an FAR (Fire accident report),” said one HSR cop. 

IMA scam fallout: HSR skywalk delayed yet again!

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IMA scam fallout: HSR skywalk delayed yet again! 21
IMA scam fallout: HSR skywalk delayed yet again! 22
The second inauguration by MLA Ramalinga Reddy as the other side of the skywalk was in his BTM Layout territory.
IMA scam fallout: HSR skywalk delayed yet again! 23
The IMA website that mentions its skywalk tie-up with Adonai Shelters
IMA scam fallout: HSR skywalk delayed yet again! 24
The skywalk that never happened. Image courtesy: Adonai Shelters

 

Last year, a skywalk on Outer Ring Road in HSR Layout was inaugurated with much fanfare twice – read all about it here and here. It was supposed to have become operational by the end of last year.

However, the skywalk is jinxed again. The principal sponsor for the flyover was IMA, the ponzi scheme company that is alleged to have defrauded people of Rs 2000 crore. Adonai Shelters was given the tender to build this skywalk by the BBMP. However, Adonai, allegedly run by a relative of former mayor Sampath Raj, was in a joint venture with IMA for 14 skywalks in the city, including the one in HSR Layout. While two skywalks were built in Nagarabhavi and Sampangiramnagar, the others will have to wait due to the IMA scam.

The skywalk planned at the beginning of HSR flyover is the need of the hour as it’s highly difficult even for the most experienced and sprightly to get across the road. As it’s 200 feet wide, it’s not for the faint hearted and there have been several near-misses and minor accidents along this stretch.

However, neither MLA Ramalinga Reddy from BTM constituency nor MLA Sathish Reddy from Bommanahalli area are serious about resolving this long-pending issue. The skywalk case once again exposes the political lethargy in public spaces.